Some of our leaders talk a green game generally, but what about banning plastic bags on local campuses, in Reno, Washoe County and/or Nevada? It wouldn’t be revolutionary. More than 300 municipalities across the U.S. already ban or charge fees for single-use plastic bags. California, New York, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and American Samoa all have general bans. The non-biodegradable bags get into soil and waterways, endangering animals and releasing toxic chemicals.
At the state level, Governor Steve Sisolak has expressed his opposition. In 2017, a bill that was introduced by some Democratic lawmakers went nowhere. It would have required stores to charge 10 cents for a single-use plastic bag with a total phase out by 2022. If not Nevada wide, what about locally?