Mailbag: Stop fighting the plastic bag ban

We cannot allow people who have no concern for the environment reverse the progress that Surf City has made with its bag ban.

Here are some things to consider. The 10 cent charge is an incentive to do the right thing, not an illegal tax or a fee for bad behavior. Bags were never really “free.” The cost for plastic or paper bags has been passed on to the consumer.

Also, plastic and polystyrene are made from petroleum, from which we need to break our dependency. In addition, our discarding of plastic and polystyrene for six decades has created a man-made ecosystem in the Pacific Ocean, twice the size of Texas. Scientists fear that it may be releasing dangerous chemicals.

Plastic debris kills wildlife. The soda six-pack plastic yoke strangled numerous seals, birds and turtles before its elimination. Sea turtles are still dying because they mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, their main food.

Toxic chemicals are also ingested by the fish we eat. Plastic debris has been found in the digestive systems of whales, probably having caused their deaths.

It’s not true that most residents oppose the ban. The Huntington Beach area has people who care about the environment. Surfers and volunteers who clean our beaches know that discarded plastic items are a major problem.

People shopped with their own bags before plastic and paper bags existed. We can get back in the habit of bringing our own reusable bags.

We need to retain the plastic bag ban and enact a polystyrene ban now. It makes sense. We must not back down.

Linda Newton

Fountain Valley

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Council showed courage with ban

There are so few things individuals can do to be guardians of our planet — using reusable bags is a great way. Thanks to the City Council for having the courage to pass a law prohibiting the use of plastic bags.

For those who find the law intolerable and wish to roll it back, remember the role of government to help us be better, to serve the public needs.

So buy and use reusable bags. Get other bags — maybe from the Huntington Beach Dog Beach folks — and clean up after your pets. Help us maintain our incredible ocean and beach all free of plastic.

Dave Mintz

Huntington Beach

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Repealing ban is short-sighted

Re: Sign me up to help with bag ban petition, Jan. 2:

Really? You want to help with a bag ban petition? Los Angeles now has a plastic bag ban and so does Hawaii.

I am proud to live in a city that takes a stand on cleaning up the environment by reducing plastic bag consumption, and I’m sure I’m not the only Huntington Beach resident who feels this way.

Really? You can’t take reusable bags to the store with you? Is that such a hard thing to do? I’m old enough to remember life before plastic bags, and somehow we managed just fine.

Really? You’d spend your time and energy to defeat the ban? There are so many other important issues to spend that time and energy on. I hope you’ll consider that and allow Huntington Beach to be an example of how cities can show their concern for our environment.

Susan J. Wexler

Huntington Beach