California’s latest triumph in the realm of environmental policy has been hailed as a victory, but a closer examination of the facts reveals a different story. The state’s ban on plastic bags in grocery stores, championed by Democratic state Sen. Catherine Blakespear, is touted as a solution to the problem of plastic waste. However, the numbers tell a different tale.
According to Blakespear, the state’s plastic bag ban is necessary because “we are literally choking our planet with plastic waste.” But the reality is that California’s plastic bags account for a tiny fraction of global plastic waste. In fact, China is responsible for a staggering 20% of mismanaged global plastic waste, while the United States as a whole contributes less than 1% to the problem. California’s share is a mere fraction of that.
Despite this, the state has pressed on with its ban, replacing plastic bags with paper bags that require significantly more energy to produce and generate more carbon emissions. To make matters worse, paper bags are often too weak to be used multiple times, rendering their environmental benefits negligible.
The consequences of this policy are already being felt. Yes, health officials think the ban on plastic bags has contributed to the spread of hepatitis A among the homeless population. This is just one example of the unintended consequences of a policy that was rushed into law without proper consideration of its impact.
In typical California fashion, the state’s Democratic leadership has pushed through a policy that is more symbolic than substantive. Rather than tackling the root causes of plastic waste, the state has opted for a feel-good measure that does little to address the problem it claims to solve. Meanwhile, more pressing issues such as homelessness, poverty, and the high cost of living continue to plague the state. It remains to be seen whether this policy will have any real impact on the environment, or if it will simply become another example of California’s propensity for grandstanding on environmental issues.
