Portland, Eugene and Corvallis, Ore., have all put into place a ban on single-use plastic shopping bags. Shoppers there are now expected to bring their own bags, be provided a paper bag, and at some stores pay a small fee for the paper bag. Plastic bags were used in abundance by every store (1.7 billion in Oregon annually) with little thought about where they will end up or that they are not biodegradable.
It is time to stand up for our oceans and ban these bags in Washington state. Wouldn’t it be great if Vancouver were the city to lead the way?
Janet Campbell
Vancouver
