Editorial for September 20, 2007 edition:


It’s in the bag

First it was smoking. Then it was trans fats. Now they want to ban plastic bags? Geez, what’s gotten into those bozos on City Council?
No doubt, that’s what some people will say when they find out that South Philly Democrat Frank DiCicco wants his Council colleagues to help him pass a bill that would prohibit the use of plastic bags in supermarkets and pharmacies.
People who think Mr. DiCicco is overstepping his authority would be wrong, however.
In targeting plastic bags — which Mr. DiCicco says add to pollution because they are not biodegradable and can last a century before they decompose — he is just doing his job. The councilman, like all elected movers and shakers in government, has a responsibility to protect the environment and its inhabitants.
Expect opposition from lobbyists who work for the plastics industry. If Mr. DiCicco’s bill goes into effect, a big slice of their business will be swallowed up by a greater good — environmental safety. Somehow, though, they will survive.
Meanwhile, paper manufacturers might want to jump on the bandwagon by designing a super-duper, bigger and better paper shopping bag with sturdy but smooth user-friendly handles.
Supermarkets could charge their customers a penny per bag, and the bags could be used over and over again. Most consumers wouldn’t mind paying 5 or 10 cents for a full supply of bags in which to transport their weekly groceries. The Aldi food store chain already has a similar system in place, albeit with big plastic bags, but the principle is a good one.
Along the line of doing what’s right for the buying public, now is a good time for Council members to honor their late colleague David Cohen by making his pet project, item pricing in supermarkets, a reality. ••

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