Paper or plastic? That is one statement that our children will never hear from a bagger at a grocery store in San Jose, California when they are older. That’s because starting January 1, 2012, the ban on plastic bags begins in San Jose and the only options available to bag your items at a retail establishment will be a paper bag made out of recycled material or your reusable shopping bags. The City will hold several awareness events between now and next year to help remind residents of the plastic bag ban. The first event will be a Wave The Bag Flash Mob event on September 4.
The Wave The Bag event will highlight the importance of using recyclable bags through a flash mob event. Residents that are interested in participating in Wave the Bag must email [email protected]. Residents will receive an email back that contains details about the secret Wave the Bag Flash Mob location. If you decide to still participate, organizers request a return email letting them know that you are still interested in participating in the flash mob which will be videotaped. If you can’t make it to the first one which will be held at a grocery store in the 95122 zip code from 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., there will be others between September and January.
Often times, flash mobs consist of a dance or exercise routine. Basically a flash mob is when a group of people suddenly come together and perform a dance or routine and then disperse as quickly as they gathered. Flash mobs are usually a surprise to those that aren’t participating so it is fun to watch their reactions. For San Jose’s “environmental” flash mobs, those that are participating will cheer on shoppers who use reusable shopping bags. The City’s email regarding the Wave the Bag event directs residents to a video of a flash mob in Canada where shoppers in a mall suddenly cheered on a woman who picked up a plastic bottle and put it in the recycle bin. View the video by clicking here.
If you are like me, you already have quite a large variety of reusable shopping bags in all different colors and sizes. The problem is remembering to bring them into the store! Starting January 1, 2012, forgetting to bring and use them when you shop will cost you at least 10 cents per paper bag. According to the new City Ordinance 28877, stores may offer you a paper sack that is made out of at least 40 percent post-consumer recycled material. The fee will go up on January 1, 2014 to at least 25 cents a paper sack. The law pertains to retail establishments only which includes stores that sell either perishable or nonperishable goods such as food or clothing. Public eating places and non-profits are not classified as a retail establishment under San Jose ordinance 28877 and not included in the plastic bag ban.
The new city ordinance does take into account low income families on California Special Supplemental Food Program for Woman, Infants, and Children (WIC) or Cal Fresh “Food Stamps.” Under the law, those shoppers may be offered a free reusable bag to use. The plastic bag ban was passed on January 11, 2011 by the San Jose City Council by an 11-0 vote. The ordinance also states that retail establishments must keep a detailed log of all reusable bags purchased and sold for at least a three year period. The log may be reviewed at any time by a representative of the City’s enforcement team.
Plastic bags already are not part of San Jose’s curbside recycling program because they jam up the equipment and cost the City up to $1 million a year to recycle. Many retail stores such as grocery stores and large department stores provide a recycling bin for customers to use to recycle plastic bags.
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Sources:
Bring Your Own Bag
Wave the Bag email
City of San Jose Facebook Page
Ordinance 28777