Chicago Charges Forward With Plastic Bag Ban

Less than a year after failing in an attempt to ban plastic bags in Chicago, City Council members have the votes to deliver an even stronger law to address plastic bag waste in the Second City. Alderman Joe Moreno told reporters he has the votes to make a full plastic bag ban become law regardless of whether Chicago’s mayor signs the bill. Once it passes, Chicago shoppers will bring eco-friendly reusable tote bags to the store during shopping trips, saving millions of plastic bags a day. Like all bills aimed at reducing plastic bag use in cities large and small, the Chicago effort came about when residents grew sick of the pollution and waste single-use plastic bags create in the community. If you don’t see the bags stuck in trees or clogging gutters in Chicago, you can see them blowing down the streets of the Windy City every day of the week. Hopes for a better quality of life in the city are tied to common-sense laws like the one Ald. Moreno introduced. Pushback from retailers is coming since the law would not charge customers for paper bags in stores. The idea is less durable paper bags should be replaced with reusable tote bags. Plastic bag bans are not meant to become an excuse to waste countless trees by switching to paper. Paper bags are recyclable and biodegradable but they don’t provide the solution. Instead, retailers would be wise to begin offering reusable bags to customers. In Chicago as in every other city where plastic bags have finally been banned, retailers have the opportunity to order wholesale tote bags for their customers to use when shopping. Once everyone gets used to shopping with these eco-friendly bags, it becomes second nature. For business owners, ordering bags with a company logo makes it easy to get exposure around town while making a green impact. On every shopping trip with a reusable tote, customers are displaying your company name and offering publicity for your business. Chicago businesses have time to handle the shift away from plastic bags the smart way. Wholesale tote bags provide the perfect solution to almost any issue the bill presents. For more information or to receive a quote please visit www.holdenbags.com or contact us at 800.255.0885800.255.0885.