May 3 â€" San Diego Tribune: Addressing the Problem of Plastic Bags

The San Diego Tribune's Mike Lee takes an in depth look at the problem of plastic bags. The article details the volume of plastic bags generated in California, its contribution to litter, the difficulties in recycling it, and one of the potential steps in solving the issue â€" the CAW-sponsored legislation by Assembly Member Lloyd Levine, AB 2449:

Californians use 20 billion plastic grocery bags each year. They recycle no more than 5 percent of them properly. In most places, that means taking them to a grocery store that collects them for recycling.

The rest of the bags have become not only a litter problem but a threat to sea life and a drain on the world's supply of fossil fuels. Annually, it takes about 12 million barrels of oil to produce the world's grocery bags, said Assemblyman Lloyd Levine, D-Van Nuys.

To date, the bags mostly have been ignored by the recycling system, something Levine, plastic companies, recycling companies and waste regulators are trying to change...

The full article is worth taking a look at; even the pictures convey some of the aspects to plastic bags that make them a concern for the environment as litter. Alternatively, read more about the bill by Assembly Member Lloyd Levine, AB 2449, send a support letter, or take a look at where to buy reusable bags to replace the wasteful plastic shopping varietals. Â