LETTER: In support of Wasilla’s proposed plastic bag ban

To the editor:

I am writing in support the City of Wasilla’s Plastic Bag Ban. I do this because it is important to our beautiful valley to get rid of these single-use bags.

Those that oppose the ban have cited “Government Overreach” as their objection. Let us look at that argument. Of course there is government overreach in some areas, and we do not want government controlling our lives. But some regulations are necessary to protect our way of life and our environment. There are some very obvious examples: banning smoking from restaurants, clean air and water regulations, the banning of harmful chemical such as DDT. I suspect someone got up and cried “Government Overreach” regarding those changes to our laws. But the simple fact is they protect people and our environment. Without these protections we would have a much dirtier and sicker country. More rivers would be polluted, more oil spills would be killing oceans, fish would be inedible because of toxins in their flesh, many more of our children would get sick or die from asthma caused by air pollution, cancer would be as normal as the common cold, our water would be unsafe to drink and every day would be a bad-air day.

The ordinance before the City is a very simple ordinance. It is only a ban of the flimsy bags less than 2.25 mil, those that require double bagging, fall apart, and are most likely to escape in the wind. These are the bags that are ending up in our lakes, streams, and ultimately the ocean. It is a relatively small step toward projecting our environment.

I believe that even those critics that cite government overreach recognize that single-use plastic bags are harmful. I urge the Wasilla City Council members to enact this ban. It is a small step which can do far greater good than ill.

— Patricia Fisher

Meadow Lakes