Okay, so if you've been reading this blog for awhile you know we think the Mayor and crew pulled a fast one the citizens of Seattle. If this had really been about reducing the use of plastic bags, this should have been set up differently. Here's what the opponents of the Seattle Bag Tax are up to.
Coalition to Stop the Seattle Bag Tax is working to put the power in your hands by placing this issue on the 2009 ballot. Sign the petition to place this issue on the ballot.
SEATTLE RESIDENTS: TO JOIN THE COALITION TO STOP THE SEATTLE BAG TAX, http://stoptheseattlebagtax.com/
Here's part of their "information".
"The City's own research shows that 91% of Seattle's citizens reuse or recycle their bags. Seattle is the only place in the United States that has such a tax. Research shows that in Ireland, where a similar tax was enacted, consumers ended up purchasing heavier plastic bags to replace the shopping bags they previously reused around their homes. Today in Ireland, they use even more plastic bags of all types than they did before the tax".
I don't where they got THAT statistic, the city is citing the SAME Ireland study as evidence a bag ban works (that's what I love about statistics)!
ALWAYS FOLLOW THE MONEY! Wow, it's so great that someone else is worried about the fact that MY groceries are going to cost $300 a year more. Who are these caring kindhearted souls? As noted in small print at the bottom of the web page. "Paid for by the Coalition to Stop the Seattle Bag Tax. Coalition Members:Washington Food Industry 7-Eleven Inc. Progressive Bag Affiliates of the American Chemistry Council" Who? Why none other than the folks that MAKE the plastic bags http://www.americanchemistry.com/s_acc/sec_news_article.asp?CID=206&DID=6878We're not liking necessarily getting into bed with 7-11 and the plastics industry (althought together they make a mean slurpee) but I wonder if this "initiative" opportunity might open the door for doing the bag ban right.
What do YOU think?
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