MoCo plastic bag ban and tax increase on paper bags

[Anonymous]

The Montgomery County Council is considering legislation to ban single use plastic bags and to increase the tax on paper bags to 10 cents per bag. This is Bill 24-24, the "Bring Your Own Bag" bill. There is an excellent article in MoCo360 that explains in detail the incoherence of this policy. https://moco360.media/2024/11/29/opinion-toss-mocos-proposed-plastic-bag-ban-in-the-bin/.

Please consider contacting the Montgomery County Council or testifying at the public hearing set for January 14th to express your views.

Contact the Council here: https://www2.montgomerycountymd.gov/CCL_ContactForms/ContactCouncil.aspx.

Consider testifying on January 14th by signing up here: https://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/council/calendar.html.

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I'll contact the council and let them know I support this. I've traveled to various countries that don't supply any plastic (or even paper) bags at their grocery stores. Costco and Aldi also seem to be doing fine without supplying bags.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I'll contact the council and let them know I support this. I've traveled to various countries that don't supply any plastic (or even paper) bags at their grocery stores. Costco and Aldi also seem to be doing fine without supplying bags.

Costco items are big, in bulk, so it's easy enough to transport to your car/home. Little items from Aldi would be harder. But, I agree with the sentiment.

[Anonymous]

That’s fine and your right to support it, of course. Understand it’s just purely performative environmentalism that likely does more harm than good while costing the taxpayers money. Read the article for a little nuance.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I'll contact the council and let them know I support this. I've traveled to various countries that don't supply any plastic (or even paper) bags at their grocery stores. Costco and Aldi also seem to be doing fine without supplying bags.

Costco items are big, in bulk, so it's easy enough to transport to your car/home. Little items from Aldi would be harder. But, I agree with the sentiment.

Nothing from Costco fits in a supermarket plastic bag.

[Anonymous]

I would like to see the Montgomery County Council have a moratorium on doing anything for twelve months but passing a balanced budget without tax increases.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would like to see the Montgomery County Council have a moratorium on doing anything for twelve months but passing a balanced budget without tax increases.

Dream on

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. I'll contact the council and let them know I support this. I've traveled to various countries that don't supply any plastic (or even paper) bags at their grocery stores. Costco and Aldi also seem to be doing fine without supplying bags.

Yes, I support it too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That’s fine and your right to support it, of course. Understand it’s just purely performative environmentalism that likely does more harm than good while costing the taxpayers money. Read the article for a little nuance.

Small actions are bad: too small. Large actions are bad: too large. Somewhere there must be an action that's juuuuuuust right? My advice for you is to get in the habit of bringing bags when you go shopping. Lots of people are able to do this, and likely you are too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s fine and your right to support it, of course. Understand it’s just purely performative environmentalism that likely does more harm than good while costing the taxpayers money. Read the article for a little nuance.

Small actions are bad: too small. Large actions are bad: too large. Somewhere there must be an action that's juuuuuuust right? My advice for you is to get in the habit of bringing bags when you go shopping. Lots of people are able to do this, and likely you are too.

DP. It seems like you are having a heated argument with your self.

[Anonymous]

Tax meat to cover salmonella care costs.

Exempt unpackaged food from the disposable bag tax.

[Anonymous]

Montgomery County hasn’t met a tax idea it won’t pass.

[Anonymous]

Performative is right. Like the bike lanes on Old Georgetown Road that one person a day uses.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That’s fine and your right to support it, of course. Understand it’s just purely performative environmentalism that likely does more harm than good while costing the taxpayers money. Read the article for a little nuance.

Small actions are bad: too small. Large actions are bad: too large. Somewhere there must be an action that's juuuuuuust right? My advice for you is to get in the habit of bringing bags when you go shopping. Lots of people are able to do this, and likely you are too.

There’s real debate over whether the multi use bags are actually better for the environment. Evidence is very mixed on that; heavier bags require greater resources to produce and they usually fall apart before you can “break even.” I know it feels like you’re doing something for the environment by reusing a bag, but very likely, it’s doing nothing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Montgomery County hasn’t met a tax idea it won’t pass.

This. Why tax paper bags 10 cents? They are usually made from recycled paper, and can easily be recycled or composted.