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The following letter appeared in The Gazette and is re-printed here with permission regarding the proposed plastic bag "ban".
To the Editor:
I have been following the discussions concerning the Reusable Bag Initiative proposed by our Village Board. I fully agree that the use of reusable bags is something that should be embraced by all.
In the proposed legislation adding Section 183 to the Village Code, the Village states as part of its proposed findings that “the use of single-use carryout bags (plastic, paper, and biodegradable) has negative environmental impacts”.
Notwithstanding the stated “negative environmental impacts” that the use of single-use carry out bags has on our community, our elected officials have limited the application of this proposed law to a “COVERED STORE” which is then defined as follows: “An establishment with over 5,000 square feet of first floor retail floor space…”
In effect, this ban applies only to two specific entities in this Village, namely Shop-Rite and CVS.
If, as our elected officials say in the proposed legislation, our “Village Board therefore wants to encourage consumers in the Village to use their own reusable bags for shopping”, then the Board should have the political courage and enact an outright ban on the use of those bags.
While you’re at it, why not ban the use of all plastic bags in the Village if these bags are so pernicious? Let’s include a ban on the plastic bags of the newspapers are delivered to our homes and the plastics bags people use to clean up while walking their pets. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people drop the plastic bag of dog droppings into the closest storm sewer.
What do you say Board of Trustees? Do you have the political fortitude to enact a total ban on these plastic and other bags that you find are so deplorable? Or is the proposed legislation just another thing to make people feel good because they believe they have done something in response to an issue?
Brian Powers, Croton-on-Hudson
The following letter appeared in The Gazette and is re-printed here with permission regarding the proposed plastic bag "ban".
To the Editor:
I have been following the discussions concerning the Reusable Bag Initiative proposed by our Village Board. I fully agree that the use of reusable bags is something that should be embraced by all.
In the proposed legislation adding Section 183 to the Village Code, the Village states as part of its proposed findings that “the use of single-use carryout bags (plastic, paper, and biodegradable) has negative environmental impacts”.
Notwithstanding the stated “negative environmental impacts” that the use of single-use carry out bags has on our community, our elected officials have limited the application of this proposed law to a “COVERED STORE” which is then defined as follows: “An establishment with over 5,000 square feet of first floor retail floor space…”
In effect, this ban applies only to two specific entities in this Village, namely Shop-Rite and CVS.
If, as our elected officials say in the proposed legislation, our “Village Board therefore wants to encourage consumers in the Village to use their own reusable bags for shopping”, then the Board should have the political courage and enact an outright ban on the use of those bags.
While you’re at it, why not ban the use of all plastic bags in the Village if these bags are so pernicious? Let’s include a ban on the plastic bags of the newspapers are delivered to our homes and the plastics bags people use to clean up while walking their pets. I can’t tell you how many times I have seen people drop the plastic bag of dog droppings into the closest storm sewer.
What do you say Board of Trustees? Do you have the political fortitude to enact a total ban on these plastic and other bags that you find are so deplorable? Or is the proposed legislation just another thing to make people feel good because they believe they have done something in response to an issue?
Brian Powers, Croton-on-Hudson
A sure fire recipe for a lawsuit if ever I saw one and you know what? Croton would deserve it. Virtue signaling can sometimes be very expensive. Maybe that's a lesson the village has to learn before it stops thinking along political lines.
ReplyDeleteI want all the stores to stop using plastic cutlery, straws, cups, plastic trays, styrofoam, lids, tin foil trays. Everyone needs to start carrying plates, forks, cups, bowl,dishes, reusable bags, right next to their phones.
ReplyDeleteHow ever will people get their New York Times? I have a neighbor who gives me at least thirty bags a month which I use for dog pick-up.
ReplyDelete