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Today's Poll: Should New York ban single-use plastic bags?

By Howard B. Owens
Daniel Norstrand

It's unbelievable just how much damage these things do. Our waterways are packed with them. I live on the Oatka and every time I walk the creek I find at least 1 or 2. I pick them up but I'd bet my last dollar that I'm 1 in a hundred at best. I find them all the time when I walk my dog along the creek at mill st park, as well as a lot of other trash. With a thrash receptical within a stone's throw from anywhere in the park! If they are too convenient then they should be produced by a state licensed manufacturer and have a nickel or dime deposit. There is soooo much information on this it is a serious indictment of our school system that the people don't realize just how ridiculous this problem has gotten. People wonder why our cancer rates are so high but when given the chance to do something that would help a majority vote no? Do you think this poison doesn't end up in the food chain? Head shaker.

Jan 15, 2019, 11:19am Permalink
Christopher Putnam

Who the F votes no? Please seriously examine your thought process. Go to walmart in Batavia, and look at the hedgerow north west of the parking lot. There are so many bags in the trees, that they look like tinsel.

Seriously someone that voted no, please explain yourself. Do none of you understand that you cant go to the intergalactic store and buy a new planet?
my actual soul hurts from that stupidity of more that 50% voting no.

As of writing this there are 88 people that voted no. 88 head shakers

Jan 15, 2019, 11:50am Permalink
Kevin Volk

Mr. Putnam:

I did not vote <em>no</em> but I admit that I am on the fence about this. I do not advocate that single-use bags are not harmful to the environment (and I doubt that many who voted <em>no</em> hold that view), but I do question whether a ban is the appropriate response, as opposed to, for example, a tax. Setting a tax of, for another example, a quarter per bag would still allow people to choose whether to use single-use plastic bags while also strongly encouraging the behaviour that you desire, and it would do so with less resentment of government intrusion.

Or there could be other responses, such as requiring a deposit on the things, or even subsidising reusable bags (which would have the added benefit of being one-time only, since people don't need new reusable bags for every shopping trip). I'm not saying that I necessarily support any of these other options, but I am saying that the existence of other options is something worth exploring. Why go straight to a ban? Has anyone researched these other options and declared them infeasible?

Jan 15, 2019, 1:22pm Permalink
John Roach

I understand the concern over the plastic bags. But these are the same people who told us to go to plastic and save the trees. Go back to paper bags. Trees are renewable and paper is biodegradable.

Jan 15, 2019, 1:42pm Permalink
Howard B. Owens

California charges a dime per bag ... California and dime bags ...

Studies have shown that paper and plastic are about equally destructive to the environment it ... but I suspect paper would be less of a lingering eyesore.

Jan 15, 2019, 2:32pm Permalink
david spaulding

lol.... love this place ..... didn't vote but if I did I would vote NO . I love my plastic bags. Tote my groceries home and always ask for both paper and plastic. make for good garbage bags. I am not surprised by fellow NYers wanting to tell me what to do. It's all about control. na-na-nanny na-na-nanny.

Jan 15, 2019, 5:19pm Permalink
david spaulding

But wait there's more..... first ban the plastic bag then move to ban the Tim Horton's coffee cups. my god they are everywhere I see them in the trees, in the hedgerow, in the storm drains, in the parking lots. Tax the cups ?, deposit on cups?, nah ban them. Take those cups down.

Jan 16, 2019, 9:07am Permalink
Ray Richardson

Just my opinion but a plastic bag ban will not solve the problem. The problem is that there are a lot of people who are pigs. All those bags flying around and ending up in hedgerows didn't get there on their own, they had help. Every time the wind blows I end up with garbage on my lawn. Newspapers, pop cans, coffee cups, ice cream cartons etc. Why not cut to the chase and just ban EVERYTHING! No more garbage in the world, problem solved.

Jan 16, 2019, 10:29am Permalink
david spaulding

Daniel .. NO .. STOP.. don't do it... I was just kiddin' .... Daniel, you ok? Daniel .... oh boy ...
That does it, I'm now on the Ban Wagon...

Jan 16, 2019, 4:24pm Permalink
Ed Hartgrove

Thomas. Robert Cray?
Have you been hacking into my mp3 collection again?
At my wedding reception, it is a toss up who got more air time - Robert Cray, or, Bon Jovi.

Jan 17, 2019, 1:07pm Permalink
Thomas Callan

Ed, saw him with Albert Collins @ Jazzberries, back in the day! Interviewed Albert after the show. The RPD Mounted Patrol shut down East Avenue, so Albert could rip on his Telecaster! He died a year or so later. One less Delta Bluesman! :( His music got me through a lot of cold winter nights.

Jan 17, 2019, 6:10pm Permalink

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