Plastic Progress
by David Atkins
Progress often happens in bits and spurts:
Los Angeles became the largest city in the nation Wednesday to approve a ban on plastic bags at supermarket checkout lines, handing a major victory to clean-water advocates who sought to reduce the amount of trash clogging landfills, the region’s waterways and the ocean.
Egged on by actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus and an array of environmental groups, the City Council voted 13 to 1 to phase out plastic bags over the next 12 months at an estimated 7,500 stores. Councilman Bernard Parks cast the lone no vote.
"Let’s get the message to Sacramento that it’s time to go statewide," said Councilman Ed Reyes, who has focused on efforts to revitalize the Los Angeles River.
Council members quietly backed away from a more controversial plan to also ban use of paper grocery bags, which was first proposed by appointees of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa.
A bill authored by Assemblymember Julia Brownley to institute a similar ban statewide was narrowly shot down due to the heavy influence of corporate interests.
Brownley against now running for Congress in California's 26th district, one of the most watched Congressional districts in the country. Her biggest opponent is professional centrist Linda Parks, about whom I've written here before.
If you can, please consider sending some help Brownley's way so that we can help get a solid progressive Democrat to Congress. One who actually believes in progress.
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