The City Council unanimously approved the first reading of an ordinance that would stop 461 retailers within city boundaries from providing single-use, plastic carry-out bags “to a customer for use to transport or carry away purchases, such as merchandise, goods or food.”

We here at ReuseThisBag.com have always known that Solana Beach was a very eco-conscious town and this decision by them comes as great news and really no surprise. It is towns like Solana Beach
that will lead the way in effectively banning the single use plastic bags that have been plaguing our lives for the past 25-30 years! It is our guess that close by Del Mar, Encinitas, and Carlsbad will be soon to follow!

Great work Solana Beach!

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Using eco shopping bags can make a worldwide difference; because of the strain on the environment will be relieved over time. If everyone used reusable bags that are made from eco friendly materials, the impact that it can make worldwide is tremendous. The billions of plastic bags that are used and later fill the landfills can be minimized by switching to reusable bags. These totes can carry more groceries in them than the average plastic bags, and they typically have hard removable pieces that can be inserted to carry heavy items. This type of solution that is easy and affordable can ease the environmental stress.

Stylish bags can be bought that are made from sustainable materials that do not put a strain on resources or create toxic pollution with their use or production. These eco shopping bags can come in a variety of colors and styles. Some boutique fashion stores offer this type of bag when a customer purchases clothing from their store. These bags can be used for many other purposes, and those who use the bags can feel good about the change they are creating in the world. These bags can be sold in different prints that fit most anyone’s style.

Some of the multipurpose bags can be used for shopping as well as other activities. They are relatively inexpensive, and can offer so many benefits. The global impact that the destruction of the environment is causing has caused many people to reevaluate the influence they have over change. Changing the outcome of the environmental problems can start with the use of eco shopping bags instead of plastic bags. They can be easily stored in the trunk of a car, so they are available whenever a person goes shopping. The great aspect of purchasing a reusable bag is the ability to use the bag many times.

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On the brighter side, here is a list of facts from the Sea Shepherds about this latest run of chasing these guys down in open water and what achievements they have made.

The Yushin Maru has chased the Steve Irwin for 4 days.

The Yushin Maru No. 2 has chased the Steve Irwin for 22 days

The Yushin Maru No. 3 has chased the Steve Irwin for 10 days and the Bob Barker for 18 days

The Shonan Maru No. 2 has chased the Steve Irwin for 20 days and the Bob Barker for 12 days.

Yushin Maru: Total days of chasing Sea Shepherd and not whaling: 4 days

Yushin Maru No. 2: Total days of chasing Sea Shepherd and not whaling: 34 days

Yushin Maru No. 3: Total days of chasing Sea Shepherd and not whaling: 26 days

Shonan Maru No. 2: Total days of chasing Sea Shepherd: 32 days (Security ship)

This is some good stuff keep it up Shepherds! Also, if what I read truly is true- Shame on you Japan!

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Today they featured a comprehensive list of cities and towns and counties that are currently banning plastic bags. Here is a look at the list.

Anyone wondering who, what and where are plastic bags being banned?

The communities in California with plastic bag bans are Calabas, Fairfield, Long Beach, Malibu, Manhattan Beach, Millbrae, Monterey, Palo Alto, Pasadena, San Francisco, San Jose, Santa Monica, Sunnyvale and the following counties: Los Angeles, Marin, Santa Clara and Santa Cruz, which have enacted bans for the unincorporated areas….

In addition, San Luis Obispo and Alameda counties have bans that apply to both unincorporated areas and incorporated cities. In San Luis Obispo, that’s seven: San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, Atascadero, Grover Beach, Morro Bay, Paso Robles and Pismo Beach. In Alameda, that’s 14 cities: Alameda, Albany, Berkeley, Dublin, Emeryville, Fremont, Hayward, Livermore, Newark, Oakland, Piedmont, Pleasanton, San Leandro and Union City.

Outside of California, there are plastic bag bans in Portland, Ore.; Seattle, Bellingham, Edmonds and Mukilteo, Wash.; the Texas cities of Brownsville, Fort Stockton and South Padre Island; the Colorado communities of Aspen, Telluride and Carbondale; East Hampton, Southhampton and Rye, N.Y.; Westport, Conn.; Bethel Bay and Hooper, Alaska, and three of the four counties (islands) in the state of Hawaii—Kaui, Maui, and the Big Island.

In addition, three counties in North Carolina — Hyde, Currituck and Dare — together enacted a plastic ban. Montgomery County, Md., and Washington, D.C., have a 5-cent fee on plastic carryout bags and Basalt, Colo., has a 20-cent fee on plastic carryout bags.

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Another advantage for both the business and the manufacturer is that buying bulk shopping bags means the producers spend less on shipping and packaging and this also helps your business get a better price. Bulk orders also mean a smoother production, which decreases the marginal cost because of increased production. This is a good for both the parties and saves money on both ends. Having a good working relationship with the manufacturer gives businesses the advantage of keeping up on fluctuation in costs that may affect the prices of products or shipping changes.

Bulk reusable shopping bags are good for other types of organizations as well. Non profit groups that want to offer bags with their logo on it can in the same way that regular businesses can. They can show their concern for the environment and keep up with the trends taking place in society. Individuals can also save when buying in bulk. If a family uses a great deal of bags for shopping and other uses, then buying a large number of bags allows them to have enough bags on hand when needed.
Convenience is another reason to buy bulk reusable shopping bags for businesses. If you buy large quantities at a time, you can unpack and stock the items less often. This saves time and the manpower needed to do this task. In addition, having the bags on hand is a good idea in case the business gets a rush of orders for the bags or more customers decide they want to start using the reusable bags as opposed to the paper or plastic. Businesses need to do whatever they can to cut costs and save money to stay on target. Buying in bulk for any items you need is a good way to save money.

The board, comprised of 13 people, made up of the county’s Board of Supervisors, representatives from seven cities and one representative of the community service districts.

A super-majority vote was called, which translated means that eight board members had to vote in favor of the proposal, instead of the usual seven; the final vote was eight to five, the least amount of votes necessary to pass the ban.

The ban will apply to single-use plastic bags at supermarkets, pharmacies, convenience stores and big-box stores as part of an effort to get shoppers to start bringing in reusable bags.

A group called “Save the Plastic Bag,” based in San Francisco, says it will now file a lawsuit against the county within thirty days to overturn the vote.

San Luis Obispo County is now the 15th community in the state of California to pass a ban on single use plastic bags! In San Louis Obispo approximately 130 million plastic bags are used each year and this measure will help them clean up considerably.

As with bans in other California cities, if a shopper forgets their reusable bags, they will have the option to buy a paper bag for $ .10 cents.

Way to go SLO TOWN!