Do we need to be told, ordered, and made to do things that we wouldn’t necessarily do – unless there was a complete BAN in place? I’d like to think that placing a ban on something wouldn’t be necessary, and many out there find the idea of being told what to do by the powers-that-be, offensive – however, the recent ban of plastic bags in the City of Los Angeles has opened my eyes! (9 other cities in LA County have already banned plastic bags.) Clearly, in some cases, only a total ban will force us to take action.
Prior to January 1st 2014, I would estimate that around 5% (very rough guess,) of shoppers took their own reusable bags to the store. Despite signs in every store encouraging shoppers to “Go Green,” very few went to the trouble. I was always congratulated at Trader Joes for bringing my own bags, or even thanked at Wholefoods when I pulled out my bags for the guy/girl at the checkout. I will concede that there were a lot more reusable bags floating around Wholefoods than any other store. But in Ralphs, Vons, Pavillions and every single drugstore, the flimsy plastic bag prevailed. Cut to January 1st and my local Ralphs is an epicenter of shoppers who are being forced to go green. Why? They have to pay 10 cents for a paper bag if they don’t bring their own bags, and NO ONE wants to have to shell out for a bit of paper that they’re going to have to dispose of in their recycling bin.
Walking through the Ralph’s parking lot made me smile: Shoppers poured in with their reusable bags, and no one seemed annoyed. On the contrary, most people looked proud (even a little smug,) because they had remembered, or had been forced to remember to take an action that made them feel good about themselves. Doing the right thing (and no one will ague that reducing the amount of plastic on our planet IS the right thing), is empowering. And, as I’ve always said, one “right” action leads to another. Other shoppers, who were probably caught by surprise, and refused to pay for a paper bag, carried out armfuls of un-bagged groceries to their cars.
One-use plastic bags are a menace to the environment. Many of them wind up in storm drains and find their way into the ocean, where they either kill wildlife or become part of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. So, what’s next on the agenda for Los Angeles? I wish they would ban paper (bathroom, printing, etc), that isn’t made of post-consumer content. That would be a great start on our unhealthy practice of hacking down virgin trees for soft, whiter-than-white T.P. Hmmm- what else? Oh yes: what about single-use plastic bottles?
A child doesn’t like being told what to do. I don’t like being told what to do! But, sometimes I have to force my daughter into doing something that’s good for her, by spelling out terrible things that will happen if she doesn’t do it. I’ve had to learn as a Mom, that certain things are non-negotiable because otherwise she’ll find a way of getting around doing the one thing that will ultimately make her feel better about herself. I think it’s the same with adults because it’s human nature to NOT want to be told, however, as a society, we are a bit child-like now, right? We hear about what we could/should be doing to help our planet, and yet it just becomes background noise, until big Mama walks in and wields her non-negotiable stick. My daughter always thanks me a few months later – always. And the things she hates me for now, one day – when she’s grown up and married, I absolutely know she’ll be grateful that Mom said, “If you don’t do it, they’ll be a price to pay.”
