Take a look at this slide show with comments by informed persons or institutions such as National Geographic:

Web Link

Now, is there any question that we must ban plastic bags asap if we're to save this planet?

Let’s see now: we’re being told we have to ban plastic bags to “save the planet.” If the planet’s salvation depended on banning plastic bags, it’s life must be hanging by a thread. Seems there’s a sucker born every minute, who can’t spot an obvious scam. Banning plastic bags, besides being a brain-dead idea and a grand nuisance, will not even substantially decrease the number of bags we use, it will only decrease the money in our wallets by forcing us to PAY for the bags that have long been considered part of customer service. As such, this will mean piles of money for retailers, and also for companies that make plastic bags and “reusable” bags, as people will have to keep buying them. Furthermore, plastic bags keep produce fresh the longest, which means fewer trips to the grocery store to buy more produce—and fewer bags. Besides which most people DO reuse their plastic bags for a variety of purposes. Ask dog owners.
Just like the Cap and Trade plan, another, more dramatically ambitious “world-saving” scam, the plastic bag ban/fee actually accomplishes only one thing: laying another tax on “we, the people.” The number of bags used will not change, but our bank balances will go down, as will our quality of life, as the eco-bullies and the billionaires who fund them find more and more ways to control our every action, and to profit in the process. Ask Al Gore.

I think the problem is with people who scatter them carelessly. I use plastic bags for garbage, the brown can.if they are banned, I shall have to buy them to bag that garbage. Trashing all over is a people problem, not a trashing problem. People who have no regard for the environment. The littering fines are rarely if ever enforced, there are just signs that threaten BIG fines. Do not blame the bags, blame the people.

On the other hand, I grew up in Europe, where everybody used reusable bags, because the were no plastic bags available yet. Mostly there were nets, which stowed into very small space or a pocket.

Biodegradable single use plastic bags are the answer. To ban the use of plastic bags will create a health risk not to mention the inconvenience it will cause all the Menlo park residents. Biodegradable plastic bags cost a bit more but do address environmental pollution concerns while not introducing health risk.

Please check out this web site

Web Link

City Council Members please don't let the Agenda 21 environmentalists affect your decisons. You can protect the environment while not putting our health at risk and not creating a terrible inconvenience for us all.

Perhaps we should consider banning feminine hygiene articles that contain plastic, as well. They add a significant amount of plastic to landfills. (Granted, fewer birds are choking on maxi pads). All-cotton tampons have a lower environmental impact. However, there would be a significant tradeoff in cost, convenience, and hygiene for women.

Oh wait, there are the same issues, only for everyone, with a ban on plastic grocery bags. It's not that using fewer bags is a bad idea (I'll bring my re-usable bag just the same as always) it's just a nontrivial question of priorities.