To all concerned about litter in the city….
If we can start a “Pick up your Pooch’s Poop” campaign downtown to address the issue of our four legged friends leaving their fragrant all- natural calling cards on lawns, in planters and on sidewalks; which is of course a good move -then why can’t we examine with equal concern, the impacts of litter waste (including cigarette/cigar butts), which makes the effects of dog poop on the environment seem pale by comparison?
Next, I would like to bring attention to another idea that could help reduce some of the more preventable and annoying components of plastic litter waste: the concept of phasing out or completely banning the use of “single-use” plastic grocery bags in retail establishments. I hope Councilman Cimperman will consider this most radical but necessary idea which is less radical than the problems and money plastic litter is costing us all. Like the city of San Jose, maybe Cleveland should slowly phase out use of those plastic bags for groceries and revert to paper and promote re-usable shopping bags.
It has been done before and needs to be done again as this is another unnecessary component of plastic litter that is choking the environment and simply making the place look ugly. These bags end up in trees, on beaches, along roadways, clogging sewer grates, stuck in the throats of animals and so on. This is common knowledge by now and people will gripe if such a measure is implemented, but so what? They will get over it just like they did the smoking ban and every other change that comes down the pike.
Come on folks, people did not sit around and starve or wonder how to carry something before the advent of these bags and we would see benefits. At least if paper bags become litter, they break down to benign materials quickly. Let’s promote “bring your own”, “re-usable” or paper. Winners will be companies who meet this challenge by offering better alternatives, but the real benefit will be our community-its residents and environment as a whole.. San Jose made such a bold brave and smart move and I am sure we, in Cleveland/N.E. Ohio are just as smart, bold, and brave as our West Coast counterparts. Or not? Have a look: http://www.sanjoseca.gov/index.aspx?nid=1526
Posted by Angry Man In The Basement at 3:35 PM No comments: