Stunned wrote on Sep 11, 2008 6:43 AM:..."I think there is overwhelming support for this not only among the citizens but among businesses as well," she said... If this were true businesses and customers would shun carry out bags and there would be no need for an extremist ordinance, but they don't. Encinitas just followed the lead of Communist China and San Francisco. Congrats.

expat wrote on Sep 11, 2008 7:04 AM:Ban plastic bags? then what kill more trees? Encinitas should address the sewage issues at moonlight beach instead of focusing bags

Tax us more wrote on Sep 11, 2008 7:37 AM:This is a tax. A regressive tax.

Johny On The Spot wrote on Sep 11, 2008 7:43 AM:I remember when paper was shunned for plastic which was supposed to spare trees.

I also remember when a study came out and said peanut butter causes cancer.

This is a half-baked idea that has been pushed by evironmental wackos.

ENOUGH, please.

Wake up Council wrote on Sep 11, 2008 7:44 AM:the plastic rings that hold six packs of sodas and beer is twice as dangerous as these plastic bags. I have never heard of a bird getting its head stuck in a plastic bag, but I have heard of birds that couldn't get their neck out of those plastic rings. Please at least do it for the birds!

Shop San Marcos wrote on Sep 11, 2008 7:56 AM:Subjects of Encinitas, we invite you to come to our fair city and spend your money and receive a free plastic bag to carry your items home in. That is until the powers in charge set up roadblocks to check for contraband entering the peoples republic of encinitas. Small minded council with nothing better to do. Sorry Encinitas.

Wait till wrote on Sep 11, 2008 8:56 AM:Wait till the bag ban ordinance is written. Residents will be taxed in form or another.

its about time wrote on Sep 11, 2008 9:48 AM:This is a wonderful step in the right direction. Why should we keep using up more oil and more trees producing plastic and paper bags, when people can buy reusable bags at most stores anyway now, as well as canvas/cotton/tote bags that so many of us already have. What if I forget my bags, you say? Do you go into the store without your wallet? Do you leave home without your cell phone? It's a very easy habit to begin remembering to bring your own bags. And if you forget, suck it up and pay 5 cents per paper bag at the store. You'll remember next time. Be truly patriotic and bring your own, helping reduce our reliance on oil. I'm proud to live in Encinitas.

Karl wrote on Sep 11, 2008 10:26 AM:Ridiculous. I made a conscience decison to bring re-usable bags to the grocery store years ago. It was my decision not someone else's for me. On the occasion that I forget my bags if I lived in Encinitas I would have the baggers take each item and load it into my car instead of paying for a bag. I have also for years refused a bag for small items that I could carry out without one just because I didn't want the extra baggage. While it is true that most clerks are "bag happy" I believe that to "bag or not to bag" is an individual decision.

Is the city council going to employ personel to hold your hand when you use a public restroom to make sure you do it right? I sure am glad that I don't live in the Peoples Repulic of Encinitas. These council members are a little over the top in thinking that they know what's best for everyone in everything. Behavior modifications finest hour right here in SoCal or is it Frisco south?

I know wrote on Sep 11, 2008 10:41 AM:Everybody met at Von's for supper! No need for any bags.

Thank You City Council wrote on Sep 11, 2008 11:08 AM:I completely agree that it would be better if a ban on plastic bags could be accomplished through education vs. legislation, but unfortunately the average person is too lazy to do what is right simply because it is right.

Plastics have become a real problem and it will be some time before we can find alternatives to all plastics in use on a daily basis. Plastic bags represent an exemplary first step because they are easy to replace with long lasting (far more durable) reusable bags.

I applaud the Encinitas City Council for being brave enough to be the first to recognize this very real issue in San Diego!

Thumbs up wrote on Sep 11, 2008 11:20 AM:This is a step in the right direction. I say charge $1 for every plastic bag and use the money to clean up the beaches. No more plastic, no more gas-guzzling SUV's, no more money to wage war on the innocent! Baby steps, but at least we're starting down the right path.

Canvas Bag Man wrote on Sep 11, 2008 11:37 AM:Paper or Plastic? Neither! Reusable bags are the way to go.

Plastic or paper bags are not free, just built into the price of groceries and food we buy.

A Voting Taxpayer wrote on Sep 11, 2008 11:38 AM:I hate the nanny state. How about if businesses themselves choose to not carry plastic bags or not? Why the heck does the government have to get involved? Why do free people allow this to occur?

To a Voting Taxpayer wrote on Sep 11, 2008 11:50 AM:Simple, because the Surfrider association has to spend their donated money on something other than their salaries, new SUV's and surfboards. Otherwise they couldn't get more donations to live their elitist lifestyle. They should put the bags over their heads and make like the ...well you know... they are!

Time to catch up wrote on Sep 11, 2008 11:56 AM:2008? Almost ten years!! LOL

The Boston Globe, March 5th, 1989

Plastic rings used to hold together six-packs of beer and soft drinks will be banned in Massachusetts unless they are made biodegradable, state environmental officials said last week. John DeVillars, environmental affairs secretary, said the move was an effort to maintain cleaner beaches and protect marine life. The plan, which is scheduled to go into effect in June, would amend the state's bottle law regulations by requiring that producers of plastic holders prove the harnesses will biodegrade within 60 days of disposal before they may be sold in the state. "We want our beaches clean and our ...

Mary wrote on Sep 11, 2008 12:07 PM:Welcome to Encinitas - where Big Brother is alive and thriving.

Patrick wrote on Sep 11, 2008 12:30 PM:If everyone switched to canvas bags which are made primarily of cotton, there will be a 'shortage' of cotton and the cotton growers will raise the price and it will affect the cost of our clothes. Also if plastic bags are banned what will people use to pick up their dogs 'droppings' at the parks, their bare hands? Plastic is the way to go, these bags get used for so many other things around the house, who truly goes shopping, comes home and throws all their bags in the garbage?

Need guidance- wrote on Sep 11, 2008 12:46 PM:The "nanny state" has to force people to do what is right. If people would take care of the environment, protect the earth instead of harvesting it for personal greed; the "nanny state" wouldn't have to force people to do what is right. We need less individualism and more community; if you won't do what's right then we'll guide you.

its about time wrote on Sep 11, 2008 1:09 PM:thank you "need guidance"- very well put. to patrick- i have bags made of a combo of hemp and cotton, and there are a plethora of other materials, such as nylon, that reusable bags are available in. hemp is a very fast-growing, sustainable material that requires little to no pesticides to produce (as opposed to cotton)...now if only we could legally grow hemp in the US for uses such as these, we'd have so many more options!

To Need Guidance and wrote on Sep 11, 2008 1:18 PM:its about time. Maybe you need the nanny state. Most of us adults don't. Grow up, make your own decisions. Better yet move to Cuba, Russia or Venezula where you won't have to make any decisions. This country is based on personal freedoms. You don't like it leave.

To Patrick wrote on Sep 11, 2008 1:48 PM:I've never used a plastic shopping bag to pick up dog droppings. Instead I have a small poo bag dispenser on my dogs leash. The bags, while plastic, are biodegradable. Quite frankly, they're much easier to use because they're just the right size, they're easier to carry and they don't have those little holes that always end up in the bottom of the shopping bags.

Stacey wrote on Sep 11, 2008 1:50 PM:I have a stash of reusable bags that stay in my car so I always have them when I need them. I haven't brought home a plastic bag in roughly a year and couldn't be happier. The reusable bags hold more, they're easier to carry and they're not contributing to the overflowing landfills. Not to mention, several stores (Ralph's & Boney's for example) take a few cents off the bill for each bag you bring in with you.

Patrick wrote on Sep 11, 2008 2:07 PM:There are so many more problems that need fixed in cities across this country other than controlling my plastic bag usage. This is just another 'feel good' thing people have locked onto. If this same thing eventually hits my city I will not buy reusable bags to tote my purchases; I will push the cart to my car, load the individual items, drive home and unload the individual items. Sure it will take longer but that's ok, it's my time. All the resources on this earth are here for a reason, to use. What are trees for? To make paper and lumber. What is water for? To make the trees grow so we can make paper and lumber. What is oil for? To burn for energy. What are animals for? To eat. If nothing was meant to be used by us then it wouldn't have been created. A company doesn't design and sell a product if there is no demand for it.

Dont like it wrote on Sep 11, 2008 2:52 PM:If I don't "like it leave?" No, I've got a better idea, I'll lobby the government and we'll force YOU to do what's right. How bout' them apples! YOU can leave if you don't like the way things are GOING to run.

Nick wrote on Sep 11, 2008 2:54 PM:What a complete joke!!!!!!!
Garth compares smoking to plastic bags?
This is the mindset of the idiots who pass stupid legislation to appease the minority and NEVER the majority.
A true Democracy....I think not!
Don't you just love how the City Council passes ordinances without approval of the Public?
I'm still waiting for someone to sue the City and the State for the ban on smoking on PUBLIC beaches.
First of all, on State beaches, ordinances CAN NOT be changed or added without a vote of "We the People".
Sorry, no one voted on the smoking ban of State beaches.
Secondly, the strip of sand between the water and the City owned property is owned by "We the People", yet somehow the cities of Del Mar, Encinitas, Carlsbad, and Oceanside seem to think they can pass ordinances regarding property owned by the public and not the city.
Hmmmmmmmm......as much as I hate and despise the ACLU, maybe I will give them a call and see if they will take up fight. After all, they like to fight for the minority....lol.
Cheers, Nick.

Vulcan wrote on Sep 11, 2008 4:15 PM:It's time for change in Encinitas. The incumbants have been there too long.

Bag Lady wrote on Sep 11, 2008 4:30 PM:Will this include a prohibition on selling plastic bags in stores? I'm gonna have to buy them now to do all the things that I use the grocery bags for (dog poo, garbage,packing shoes in luggage, carrying wet bathing suits, etc). Ridiculous! (I'm writing this from the Peoples Republic of China, where they just charge for the bags)

To Patrick wrote on Sep 11, 2008 4:39 PM:Nice attitude ... of course you have the right to act like the big baby you sounded like at 2:07, but it doesn't sound very productive.

You're right, we do have bigger problems. What we don't have are people who can/will solve them. Instead, we have small groups of highly motivated people who work to tackle the problems they can reasonably manage. No ... it's not going to be the single answer to any major problem ... but we, as a community, have to start somewhere and hope that a mountain of solutions grow from the molehill.

It's certainly better than standing aside and doing nothing while the me me me crowd throws stupid temper tantrums as they load their groceries item by item because they're too stubborn to change with the rest of the world.

More tax money to consultants wrote on Sep 11, 2008 6:12 PM:The city is paying $164,000 to a consultant that recommends a plastic and paper bag ban.

nannigan wrote on Sep 11, 2008 6:39 PM:Let Nannigan take care of this- it his forte

Patrick wrote on Sep 11, 2008 6:50 PM:To "To Patrick"-I sound like a big baby? I'm just stating facts, and things to think about. I don't believe I am throwing a temper tantrum, I am just telling you how I am going to handle a bag ban if it happens in my city. Maybe if more people were stubborn like me then this country would be a better place, instead people just roll over and submit to every ridiculous idea that comes their way because it feels good.

To Patrick wrote on Sep 11, 2008 8:43 PM:Improving the environment is a ridiculous idea? That's news to me. I made the 'feel good' change on my own because I kept seeing all the plastic bags that were going to waste in my house on a weekly basis. At first it didn't bother me because I thought 'Hey ... I'll just put them out on trash day for the recycle truck'. Then I found a note on the bags at the end of the day telling me that they don't take plastic bags. That was it ... I got reusable bags and have been using them ever sense. It not only feels good ... it's more convenient and smart.

The thing that really kills me about you're way of 'handling' a ban on plastic is to get all huffy and brood because 'they can't tell me what to do' instead of trying to open your mind to something that may have long term benefits outside of yourself and your own life.

Based on that ... Yes ... You sound like a big baby throwing a temper tantrum. Being stubborn is one thing. Being narrow-mindedly stupid is something else entirely. I'll be the first to stand up and cry foul when there is actually foul to be cried. Trying to extend the life of Earth's limited resources for an over-populated planet is not one of those things.

destroys jobs wrote on Sep 11, 2008 9:36 PM:What good is a ban that destroys thousands of jobs?

Curious minds wonder... wrote on Sep 11, 2008 10:13 PM:Will it be illegal for Encinitas parents to put little Johnny's sandwiches in a ziplock bag? If I go to Sushi on the Rocks in the Forum (Carlsbad) and get food to go in a plastic bag is it illegal to bring it home to Encinitas in said bag?
Can I be arrested for "posession of illegal plastic bags with intent to use" if I have a box of plastic trash bags in my garage?

Rob wrote on Sep 11, 2008 10:53 PM:All of you gorebots who believe the city council made the right decision are very scary indeed. Myself and many other residents of Encinitas will burn up more gas and go shop elsewhere. You people need to move back up to San Francisco where you will blend in nicely with the rest of the moonbats!

Plastic Bags Blow wrote on Sep 12, 2008 6:58 AM:I don't get why people are so attached to plastic bags to begin with. Sure they're fine for small/light purchase, but they're not big or strong enough to hold much of anything significant. God forbid you get more than 3 canned goods at the grocery store. You've got to use 2 plastic bags when one canvas one will take all the cans and more. They won't sit still in your car unless you have some kind of box or something to put them in. You have to tie the top if you don't want your groceries all over your trunk while canvas bags hold their more sturdy shape and keep you from having to crawl around your trunk to get that last orange that rolled out. And if you think I'm picking up dog poo with one of those shopping bags you've got to be nuts. They always end up with those tiny little holes in the bottom ... rendering them almost entirely useless for the purposes of reusing.

Not using plastic bags goes beyond environmental benefits for me. Sure that's a nice side story, but the reusable bags are just more convenient ... for me anyway.

Patrick wrote on Sep 12, 2008 8:10 AM:OK, I'm sorry you don't like my attitude, but its mine. When was the earth created? A long time ago, long before you and I were created. When were plastic bags created, 1957 by my 30 seconds of research, please see below for the timeline. If your garbage collector doesn't recycle plastic bags then take them to the store you got them from that does recycle, how hard is that? And what garbage collector leaves a note on something in the trash can? That sounds made up to me. Who says the earth has limited resources, you? The earth has been here a long time and I think its funny how some humans think we are going to stop the earth from existing. Our existence on this earth is just a blink of the eye and we are gone.

Here is the History of the Plastic Bag...
1957 The first baggies and sandwich bags on a roll are introduced.
1958 Poly dry cleaning bags compete with traditional brown paper.
1966 Plastic bag use in bread packaging takes over 25 to 30 percent of the market.
1966 Plastic produce bags on a roll are introduced in grocery stores.
1969 The New York City Sanitation Department's "New York City Experiment" demonstrates that plastic refuse bag curbside pickup is cleaner, safer and quieter than metal trash can pick-up, beginning a shift to plastic can liners among consumers.
1974/75 Retailing giants such as Sears, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward, Jordan Marsh, Allied, Federated and Hills make the switch to plastic merchandise bags.
1973 The first commercial system for manufacturing plastic grocery bags becomes operational
1977 The plastic grocery bag is introduced to the supermarket industry as an alternative to paper sacks.
1982 Kroger and Safeway start to replace traditional craft sacks with polyethylene "t-shirt" bags.
1990 The first blue bag recycling program begins with curbside collection.
1990 Consumer plastic bag recycling begins through a supermarket collection-site network.
1992 Nearly half of U.S. supermarkets have recycling available for plastic bags.
1996 Four of five grocery bags used are plastic.

To Patrick wrote on Sep 12, 2008 9:27 AM:It is your attitude and you are entitled to it ... I wouldn't presume to tell you otherwise. I'm not sure the purpose of your plastic bag history but ok. There's probably a point in there somewhere.

For the record, the note I got was a form from Waste Management that had a list of options as to why whatever trash wasn't picked up ... they checked "We don't pick up plastic bags". I had honestly never seen that before either and was a bit surprised ... but it seemed like a nice service. At least now you know so you don't do it over and over.

There is also no problem taking the bags back to the store ... if you do it. I was having my groceries delivered regularly so I really never went into the grocery store. I did start emptying the bags real quick while the groceries were being delivered and then giving them back to the driver. I bought my first reusable bags online because, for me, the benefits far outweighed the cost when I started going shopping more often. I like to recycle and single use items just seem like a waste.

Humans also won't single handedly 'kill' the Earth. It just doesn't make a lot of sense to me to over-indulge just because you think you can. That also is a matter of individual perceptions and priorities. I personally find it beneficial to use renewable resources whenever possible so as to limit my carbon footprint as much as I can. You want to sprawl out and take up as much space as you feel is yours then be my guest.

The problem isn't the plastic bags per se (more and more are becoming biodegradable and, as a result, less of a long term problem) and I also don't relish the idea of the government making my choices for me. I just happen to find reusable ones more convenient and (not to say that I'm always right) I just find it boggling when people are so blinded by their own stubbornness that they disregard possible opportunities without so much as a consideration to those around them.

Again, it is your opinion and you are entitled to it. This is just one point where we must respectfully agree to disagree.

Patrick wrote on Sep 12, 2008 11:30 AM:OK, last response. The reason for the history of plastic is to show the history of plastic compared to the history of Earth and how we are just a blink in time, a speck of dust. So many people respond to these articles and say nothing about the article; I tried to stay on topic. Carbon Footprint=Al Gore. I just searched Google for
"Al Gore Carbon Footprint", very comical to say the least.

To Patrick wrote on Sep 12, 2008 12:47 PM:My last as well. To think you felt you needed to point out that ours is but a brief time on this planet is somewhat amusing but good job. It's nice to see people who have a firm grasp of the obvious.

As far as carbon footprint=Al Gore. First, Al Gore is a bit on the hypocritical extreme for me. I first heard the phrase 'carbon footprint' in an earth science class I took back in high school and has scientific meaning well before & beyond the Al Gore fanaticism. I guess it's true that it has become a rather cliche catch phrase these days though so my choice of words could have been better ... but the point is still the same. I try to reduce the mark I leave on my environment while you apparently would rather mark your territory at every turn. Good luck with that.

We'll just have to continue to agree to disagree.

Waste wrote on Sep 12, 2008 1:21 PM:Waste Management doesn't pick up trash in Encinitas. EDCO is the trash hauler.

To Waste wrote on Sep 12, 2008 3:25 PM:And?

Hey Patrick wrote on Sep 12, 2008 6:13 PM:Let me get this straight ... You Googled 'al gore carbon footprint' and you got results containing al gore and carbon footprint. Wow! That is comical. Maybe you should learn how to google for the maximum research potential. Try just googling 'carbon footprint'. Sure you'll get some Al Gore in there (it is his favorite buzz phrase these days), but you'll also get all the other information too.

I know it's not as much fun to get all the facts, but it can be educational.

The short-sightedness would be sad if it weren't so scary.

Nemo wrote on Sep 13, 2008 9:54 AM:YOU ARE WASTING OUR TIME AND WASTING OUR MONEY AND OVERSTEPPING YOUR RESPONSIBILITIES. YOU HAVE NO RIGHT VOTING ON A FREE MARKET DECISION. WOULD NOT VOTE FOR THE THREE OF YOU EVER. GO GET A REAL JOB IF YOU COULD FIND ONE. LEAVE MY BUSINESS ALONE.

To Nick wrote on Sep 19, 2008 1:30 PM:Yeah, you are still waiting for "somebody" to file a lawsuit or take action. In the meantime, you are moaning about how the minority is now better represented than the majority.

Where were YOU when the hearing was going on? Probably at some other blog whining instead of taking action. This is YOUR fault.

Oh yes, I support the ban but I also will defend to death your right to disagree... IF you ever bother to show up. Somehow, I am not even worried about that happening.