S.F. Gets Second Chance to Cut Down on Plastic BagsAnia Moniuszkobyline‚ Mar. 14‚ 2007Two years ago, San Francisco had a chance to significantly impact the amount of garbage we produce while drastically reducing the costs of recycling and garbage disposal – by imposing a 17-cent fee on each plastic bag distributed at large grocery stores. The legislation also would have improved the cleanliness of our city and reduced the pollution in our bay. The San Francisco Commission on the Environment unanimously approved it. The shopping bag fee—modeled after legislation in other countries that successfully reduced bag consumption and promoted reuse—would have been the first of its kind in the United States. But the plastic bag industry killed it, with Mayor Newsom’s help. Now San Francisco has another chance to lead again. |