Survey: Plastic bag OPEN FORUM now live!

Los Alamos County has created an OPEN FORUM survey on their webpage regarding the plastic bag ban issue.  Please take 5 minutes to answer the survey and share your thoughts.  The County Council and ESB will be looking at this survey.  You do not have to comment with your name, but you will need to register your address.  When your comment posts, it will say your neighborhood eg: Western, Eastern, Barranca Mesa etc. but not your actual address.

Again, please take this survey, and share it with your friends.  Please join us on Facebook as well at Save the Bag: Los Alamos.

Also, make plans to attend the May 21st meeting of the Environmental Sustainability Board, 5:30pm @ the Muni.  The bag ban will be on the agenda and there will be a public comment period.  You do not need to stay for the whole meeting either, although if you do, I think you will find the process fascinating. 

Thank you Los Alamos!  Let's save our town from government micromanagement and over reach!

BAG THE BAN!

Plastic bag talking points DE-BUNKED!

From Brian McCool via our Facebook page:

Here are some Sierra Club Talking Points (TP) being Debunked (D):

TP: Plastic bags last forever in the landfills.
D: Everything lasts forever in the landfills we use. They are designed to keep what’s put there as stable as possible to reduce the chance of nasty stuff oozing into the environment.

TP: Re-Usable bags are friendlier to the environment.
 D: If you consider the entire lifecycle of these bags, the re-usable bags are worse for the environment. Most of them are made in China with dirtier energy and no restrictions on what waste products are allowed back into the environment. The plastic shopping bags currently offered at checkout are made in the U.S.A. with much cleaner energy [natural gas] and high standards for waste product disposal. Banning plastic shopping bags eliminates more U.S.A. jobs and contributes towards polluting the environment.

TP: Paper bags are better because they’re recyclable and bio-degradable.
D: Paper bags are worse for the environment to make, and take up more space in a landfill when thrown away. People who are currently throwing away or littering plastic bags are going to throw away or litter paper sacks. Plastic bags have more recycling cycles than paper and the majority of paper destined for recycling ends up in China; this is the our largest export to China. As far as being bio-degradable, see the first TP.

Response to Jody Benson and the Sierra Club: Yes, it's all about freedom.

We've made it ...

...into the Sierra Club's newsletter this month.  See page 10. "Save the Bag Comes to Los Alamos".

I'd just like to address a few of the accusations that Jody Benson has made in this article.

The only inspiration myself and others have had to Save the Bag was the Sierra Club's actions here in Los Alamos.  For the record, after a search of the internet by myself and several others, we've come to find out that there is no such thing as "The American Chemical Association."   I have no idea where you got that from, but it's a blatant falsehood.  You've also stated that the "Save-the-baggers" claim there are no bags blowing around in Los Alamos (see the caption of the picture on page 10).  I have made no such claims, nor have any members of Save the Bag: Los Alamos.  Are you willing to correct yourself on both of those points, Jody?  Furthermore, I really wish you had not used the term bagger to describe my friends and I.  Were you aware that is a sexually explicit slur?  I've met you once, and seen you a few times at Smith's, Jody.  You don't strike me as the kind of person to use that language.  Would you like to correct yourself on that too?

I am a stay-at-home-mom, who really would like to mind her own business.  The other members of Save The Bag: Los Alamos are similarly minded and situated.  We are regular citizens, who feel pressed to get involved in a local issue.  An issue, by the way, that was forced on our community by you and the other members of the Sierra Club and the League of Women Voters.  Who is shilling for whom?

Last week I was accused of wasting time and being an online bully with this issue.  It sure is a waste of time, but not because of me.  Jody, you and your friends, are actively causing contention, and chaos in Los Alamos -- it is the Sierra Club and the League of Women Voters that are forcing this on Los Alamos.  You, and your friends, are wasting the County's time, as well as the time of the citizens in the County.  There are a thousand other things I'd rather be doing than quibbling with my neighbors about a plastic bag ban.  There are many more pressing issues facing Los Alamos County as well, but because this will affect my family and how we live, and because you and your friends have chosen to pick a fight over a plastic bag, I have chosen to stand up to the environmental bullying of the Sierra Club and the misguided efforts of the League of Women Voters for something I believe in.

County Council Meeting, 4/14: Councilors' Comments

This is the second part of my notes from the County Council meeting held, Tuesday, April 14, 2015.  These are my notes on what the County Councilors said.  The first part of my notes can be found HERE.

After the public comments were closed, Councilor Henderson, asked the Councilors to move on what to do with this petition: send it to the Environmental Sustainability Board, or stop it.  The Councilors were allowed to ask questions and make statements.

Councilor Chrobocinski opposes the ban, voted to end the issue.

• If we could argue about chickens, the night would be complete. (HAHAH!  Have we jumped the shark yet in our town?  Um, yes.)
• We need to be more business friendly. A ban like this is not business friendly, and runs counter to the goals of the Council.
• Smiths is proactive with incentives, fuel points
• Which addresses this issue thru the free market.  
• Why stop at one thing.  This kind of ban opens the door to other bans.
• We are not the People's Republic of Santa Fe. (Amen, brother!)

Councilor Reiss Reiss -- opposes the ban, voted to end the issue.

• Bag fee is an insult to injury with taxes, fees, etc.
• LAC is already aggressive with recycling and ahead of other places.
• Smiths is environmentally responsible.
• Ban is a burden to businesses.
• The Kids that Rebecca Shankland mentioned in her letter and comments are an example of how people can act to solve a problem, not government.

Councilor Israelivitz -- did not state if he opposed or supported, but voted to send it back to the ESB.

•  The debate misses the point. Not voting on a ban tonight, but to explore the issue more.
• Asked is the petition supported by the community. (No it does not, according to the LADP and LA Monitor polls taken in Feb/March.  The LADP poll found that 64% of people opposed a ban.)

County Council Meeting 4/14: Citizens' Comments

Tuesday night's County Council meeting was interesting.  Here is a confession for you.  I used to teach high school civics/government.  I would always offer my students extra credit for going to a City Council or board meeting.  Wait for it .... until last night, I never in my life had been to a City Council meeting myself.  I know, I know #ConeOfShame.  It was interesting to see the process work and see how much I didn't know about local government.


The plastic bag issue was second on the business agenda, but was not addressed until after 9pm.  Thank you to all who came and waited patently.  Like I said the process was interesting, but very slow.


The people who brought this petition before the County Council (CC), were local members of the Sierra Club and League of Women Voters.  They had circulated a petition for a period of time to have this agenda item of a plastic bag ban addressed.  Because of this they were allowed to speak first, after which the floor was opened up for public comment.  When Councilor Henderson asked for a show of hands for who was there to comment on the plastic bag issue, most of the hands in the room went up.


The first presenter was Mark Jones, President of the Pajarito Chapter of the Sierra Club.  He had a lot to say, I will give bullet points, and elaborate if needed, my thoughts are in blue:

• Ban will do no harm to local merchants, as they people are "subsidizing" the cost of bags already.
• Quoted from his LADP letter dated April 8, 2015.  (See HERE)
• Said this would not be "too much gov't intrusion" as gov't has regulated bad behavior in the past eg: seat belts, leaded gas, tobacco.  Gov't should regulate bad behavior. (just like Prohibition?)
• Said this would be a "negative externality" (To define, an externality is, "the unintended side effect that either benefits or harms a third party not involved in the original action." (See more about negative externalities HERE.)
• Costs of clean up of bag pollution footed by tax payers (as is all public clean up, not just this)
• Govt regulation is the best solution to this problem.
• Plastics are a huge problem in the ocean (Perhaps, but not plastic bags.  It's garbage from boats)
• Asked for this to be referred back to the Environmental Sustainability Board (ESB). (I feel that referral back to the ESB is a waste of time, as they have already made their decision on this.  Not to mention the board is stacked with pro-ban people).
• Their petition had 153 people in favor of a ban.
• Another alternative is to charge for paper and plastic. (The thing is the store is already doing that, but not itemizing it on the receipts.  Which if the County were to require would be its own, separate issue).

What is a Negative Externality?

In a letter to the Los Alamos Daily Post  dated, April 8, 2014, Mark Jones, President of the Pajarito Chapter of the Sierra Club, mentioned that a plastic bag ban, would create a "negative externality", but that we'd soon overcome that.

Oh, big word alert!  Do you know what a negative externality is?  I do, but that's because I used to teach high school economics.

The textbook definition of externality is, "an unintended side effect that neither benefits or harms a third party not involved in the original activity."

By extension a negative externality is. "The harm, cost or inconveniences suffered by a third party because of the actions of others"  (Economics: Principles & Practices, [2005]; Glenco; New York City, pages 127-8).

County Council Meeting 4/14: My statment to the Council

These are my comments for the County Council meeting on April 14, 2015.

·         I am Joyce Anderson, founder of “Save the Bag: Los Alamos".

·         I started this group as a way to share information on plastic bags and why we should keep them.

·         I am frustrated and angry we are having this conversation, when we have so many other pressing issues facing our community.  Right now we are lost in the thick of thin things. But let’s talk about this.

·         For me this is about personal choice, and the right I have to live my life free from government micromanagement at the behest of special interest groups like the Sierra Club.

·         Los Alamos residents are already recycling and bringing their own shopping bags.  They are governing themselves.

·         Smith’s has barrels as a customer service for plastics recycling. The County’s recycling program is also dynamic and robust.  If there are issues with how the County handles recycling let’s address those problems first before taking about banning plastic bags.

Letter to the Editor: My response to Rebecca Shankland

On April 13 the Los Alamos Daily Post published a letter from Rebecca Shankland in favor of the plastic bag ban.  (See the letter HERE.)

Here is my response to her:

Hi Rebecca, just a few points in response to your letter.

First, you've illustrated the point here with what this group of kids did, that Los Alamos is already taking care of itself. They asked the store do act, it did, and they had good results. Los Alamos residents are already taking care of the problem, they are governing themselves. There is no need to ask the government to step in when we are being responsible on our own.

Second, the claims that plastic kills marine life is not entirely true. The majority of plastic pollution in the ocean is not plastic shopping bags, but trash that is thrown off of shipping and fishing boats. These are things like fishing nets, barrels, containers, food wrappers etc. That is a litter problem, not a plastic bag problem. Banning plastic bags will not solve this particular litter problem. Furthermore the Times of London did a study in 2008, which debunked the claim that plastic is killing hundreds of thousands of marine life. Truthfully, scientists have no way of accurately calculating what number of animals die from plastics.

Third, thankfully, we do not live in a democracy -- which is a nice way of saying mob rule. We live in a republic -- where we elect people to act on our behalf. It's part of the process to petition on government for the redress of grievances. I, along with a majority of the people in this town, find the idea of a plastic bag ban grievous. We're are just exercising our rights, as you are perfectly welcome to do as well on this issue.

County Council Meeting this Tuesday!

Find us on Facebook too @ Save the Bag: Los Alamos.

Consumers left holding bag with ban on plastic

This is an article from Tracy, CA.  People do  not want plastic bag bans.  It's so typical of politicians to vote for what "they think" looks good or for what is popular, even though it is not what their constituents want.  It will be interesting to see how this issue develops in California over the next year and a half.

Consumers left holding bag with ban on plastic

Fast Facts About Plastic Bags

Need some talking points when going into a conversation about plastic bag bans?  We have you covered.  Here are somethings to consider:

• • Plastic bags are made of #2 (high-density polyethylene, HDPE) or #4 (low-density polyethylene, LDPE), both of which are 100% recyclable through the “Bag-2-Bag” program Smith’s participates in.
  • Smith’s also recycles its own cardboard and other waste, thus not impacting the County’s solid waste system.
  • 90% of plastic shopping bags are reused in households.  The most common reuse is to line trash cans, and to dispose of pet waste.
  • Recycling efforts are on the rise and increase every year. From 2006 to 2011 recovery of HDPE and LDPE increased 55%.  As time passes public awareness of recycling has grown, in addition to this, access to recycling facilities is becoming more widespread and available to individuals and municipalities.  Los Alamos County has a dynamic recycling program in place and is proactive in improving its efforts in recycling.
  • Plastic bags make up less than .5% of the municipal waste stream in this country.  Look around your house and note all of the things that go into your trash can – both the green barrel and the blue barrel.  A plastic shopping bag is one of the smallest things in the there. 

Are You Being Told the Truth About Plastic Bags?

 Q: Are You Being Told the Truth About Plastic Bags?

A: No you are not.

I just found this video the other day and it is great.  It dispels many of the "facts" environmentalists use to get plastic bag bans passed.  The footage used here is of the debates in 2012, in Los Angeles, CA.  That city has a bag ban based on lies -- as do over 100 municipalities in California.

Video: Plastic Bag Recycling Facilities

This is short video about plastic bag recycling.  If you put your unwanted plastic bags in the barrels at Smith's this is where they will end up.  The claims made by the Sierra Club that plastic bags just go into landfills is poppycock.  They only end up there if you don't take the simple step of taking unwanted bags back to Smith's when we shop.

Please join us at  Save the Bag: Los Alamos on Facebook for more updates on this issue.

Media Bias: How Special Interests Manipulate You

This is a TEDx talk given by Sharryl Attkisson, who used to work for CBS News. The description is as follows, "In this eye-opening talk, veteran investigative journalist Sharyl Attkisson shows how astroturf, or fake grassroots movements funded by political, corporate, or other special interests very effectively manipulate and distort media messages".  

This same strategy has been used by environmentalists in the media when it comes to plastic bag bans.  Half-truths, and misdirects have been used to "astro-turf" the discussion on plastic bags and their real effects on the environment.

Plastic Bag Bans: Stories of Interest, Part 2

Here is part two of the links I've been posting on the Facebook group, "Save the Bag: Los Alamos".


My comments are first, followed by the link to the story.


1.  From NPR, a story about the California bag ban and efforts to repeal it. I find the the accusation by environmentalists of "big out of state money" trying to influence state policy, funny. When you look at the situation rationally, stripped of hyperbole and emotion, groups like the Sierra Club are flush with all sorts of money from all over the place -- how is that different? The Plastic Bag Industry has every right to protect and promote their product. If you don't like plastic bags, you don't have to use them. However, to use or not to use, should remain a choice that the individual makes, not the government, or a small group of noisy individuals forcing their lifestyle on the rest of us.


California Plastic Bag Showdown


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2.  More on the Santa Fe City Council's decision to re-label the 10-cent per bag fee. It's no longer an illegal tax, as defined by New Mexico state law, but an environmental fee. It's a classic example of shuffling the deck.


When is a tax not really a tax?


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Plastic Bag Bans: Stories of Interest, Part 1

Here are some interesting links I've posted on the Facebook group, "Save the Bag: Los Alamos"
My comments from the facebook post are first, followed by the link to the article.


1.  Looks like Santa Fe, in defiance of state law, will reinstate the 10-cent per bag fee, for paper bags. (But if you call it a fee, it's not a tax, right? ‪#‎smh‬ ) According to this article the store will get to keep 1-penny of this fee, which will be taxed under the gross receipts tax, and the city will keep the rest. Why not save a step and just take the whole dime? Sometimes I just shake my head at Santa Fe, because you can't fix stupid.

City Bag Fee Clears Committee

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2.  An op-ed, from somewhere in New England. The author makes some very good points: 1 -- Plastic bags are not the problem, litter is; 2 -- Plastic in the oceans is from abandoned fishing equipment, not plastic shopping bags; 3 -- The assault on plastic bags is really the "cause de jour" for environmentalists, who "flit from cause to cause."

Facts Don't Support a Bag Ban

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 3.  The Arizona State legislature has passed a bill that prohibits plastic bag bans. The reasoning was to protect business from a "hodge-podge" of regulation and confusing rules. It's interesting to say the least. I'm still trying to decide if this is the state government infringing on local control, or if it is truly what the bill's authors say it is, a way to protect business from burdensome regulations. What I am sure of, however, is that when we do not govern ourselves and our choices, the government will step in to make decisions. Those decisions might not always be good.

Banning the Plastic Bag

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4.  A Small Business Association in Laredo, TX is suing that city regarding their plastic shopping bag ban. The Association is worried that the high cost of reusable bags will have a negative impact on small businesses. This is just one of the many consequences of plastic bag bans and taxes. Customers and businesses will always be impacted when government steps into micro manage our personal economic decisions. Let people decide for themselves how they will shop and how they will carry home their purchases.

 Merchant's Association Files Lawsuit Over Plastic Bag Ban

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5.  What NOT to Wear: Oh, the "Bag Monster"! In 2013, when Santa Fe passed its bag ban, a class of 4th graders (YES! 4th graders!), were used as pawns and presented "The Bag Monster" to the Santa Fe City Council, as a way to convince the councilors to enact the ban. Personally, these kinds of dramatic stunts push me the other way. If we're going to ban plastic bags, lets have an open, honest and emotion free discussion about the issue. We're all adults, right?

Political Theater: The Bag Monster

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6. 
Today it's plastic shopping bags, what is next? Looks like some environmentalists in California want to go after drinking straws in restaurants. Personally, I'm thankful for a straw. Who knows how clean the glass really is? The fact that they are also indoctrinating children thru the public schools is maddening as well.

With disposable plastic bags and containers on their way out, Monterey Bay activists target plastic straws.