Two years ago, a group of concerned residents asked City Council to look into ways to reduce single-use plastic bags. My husband, Erich Bussian, and I were part of that group. Since then, we, in Durango alone, have used another 15 million bags. Some of us voluntarily started bringing our own reusable bags, but clearly, we need more effective measures to stop our wasteful behavior. Unfortunately, our wonderful single-use recycling program, does not accept these bags, so they will end up in our landfills, trees, rivers and oceans.

City Council thoroughly studied the issue,and voted (4-1) for an ordinance to put a 10-cent fee on the use of disposable checkout plastic and paper bags in the big grocery stores.

Personally, I would have preferred a ban, but I think City Council came up with a reasonable compromise and listened well to different voices in our community. Sometimes, it takes an ordinance to change people’s habits.

I think one of these “sometimes” is now.

Like many ordinances or laws around smoking in restaurants, drinking age or seat belts, it will create a positive norm, and it will protect us from harm we do to ourselves, our families, our neighbors and our environment.

This ordinance gives everybody the freedom to use a plastic bag, or 20, or none. Just pay for them if you value them and need them. I certainly don’t want to pay for anyone else’s bags and the harm they do after their short use as a bag, and their long life as waste! Opponents of this ordinance like to say, “Why focus on these bags, what about all the other plastic disposables we use?” I say: “Yes, what about them?”

This is not the end-all solution, just one step in the right direction. Durango, let’s get this done.

You can show your support to our progressive City Council members, by voting for keeping the disposable-bag ordinance in the upcoming ballot.

Mip van Suchtelen

Durango