Philadelphia Succeeds in Passing a Plastic Bag Ban

After over ten years of work by environmental activists, Philadelphia passed a ban on plastic bags. Though a success, the plastic bag ban was seen as controversial by activists. Shortly before passage, the mayor’s office removed a fee on paper bags that would have gone along with the bags. According to activists, this means that consumers will simply replace paper with plastic. And, some have said that paper bags have four times the carbon footprint as plastic bags. No bag is best, which is why environmental activists advocate for a tax on any bag, not just plastic. The mayor’s office removed the fee due to potential impact on lower income families and noted that the legislation would continue to be studied. Despite the controversy, this represents a step in the right direction for the environment!