Charge a fee for plastic bags but don't ban them

Plastic grocery bags can be both good and bad. They are good for when you are on the go and have no reusable bags. Sometimes you unexpectedly have to go to the store for something you need. Plastic bags are also good for when you buy meats, fruits and dairy products. If you used reusable bags for everything you purchased at the grocery store, it would leak or damage your other products.

On the other hand, plastic bags are not good for our environment. Plastic bags are one of the biggest trash items adding to the big mess on our streets and waters. With our streets being trashed with plastic grocery bags the way it has been, it makes us look like we don't care about our city. The plastic bags being trashed on our streets and waters are also not appealing to tourists visiting our city. Littering our water with plastic grocery bags is just as bad because there are living organisms in the water that can die due to all the trash, including plastic grocery bags. We are now endangering their lives for no reason or care. People may not intentionally do it on purpose and they may not realize the problems they are causing.

In my opinion, I believe that if the bill to charge for paper or plastic bags ("City again considers fee for plastic bags," Feb. 17) was enforced, there's a bigger chance to cut down the littering. If people had to pay for their plastic bags every time they went to the store, they may not just throw them out on the streets so easily. People may even keep the bags to reuse them as long as they can last. It's a good way to help stop the littering on our streets and waters. I don't think the bags should be banned because they are useful and not everyone just liters them.

In conclusion, something should be done to fix this problem. Charging a fee for the plastic grocery bags may not fully stop the big mess, but it will be a big help to stop some of it.

Kristina Hohman

Send letters to the editor to [e-mail].