HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0064.096 2010-2012 Page 1 of 2
COUNM.
Murashige, Laura BILL 17 / 1v1. 4
From: Wessel, Leinani [Iwessel @co.hawaii.hi.us] on behalf of Ford, Brenda [BFord @co.hawaii.hi.us]
Sent: Tuesday, February 15, 2011 8:57 AM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: FW: Plastic bags
inaini W d
council Aide to Council Member Brenda Ford
District 7 - Central Kona
74 -5044 Anc Keohokalolc Hwy
Ka iluaKona., Hi 06740
(505) 32 -4277
lwessel%cr co.h:�waii.hi.us
From: pendereds @aol.com [mailto:pendereds @aol.com]
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 4:42 PM
To: Yagong, Dominic; Ikeda, Donald; Yoshimoto, J; Onishi, Dennis; Blas, Fred; Smart, Brittany; Ford, Brenda;
Pilago, Angel; cohmayor @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: Plastic bags
To Hawaii County Council Members and Mayor Kenoi:
On Sunday Feb. 13 the Hawaii Tribune - Herald published my letter headed
"Leave the bags alone ". Here's a copy if you didn't see it. Bill 17, if passed, will
punish the great majority of County citizens — for the acts of a few who discard
plastic bags in a careless manner. Do you really want to do that? Please stop
this nonsense and confine yourselves to important matters for which you were
elected!
Respectfully,
Bill Pendered
Keaau, HI
2/13/11 Letter in Hawaii Tribune Herald:
A couple of years ago (can't remember exactly when) the Hawaii Tribune -
Herald published a letter I wrote decrying our County Council's proposed ban
on plastic bags. So did several other HT -T readers. Eventually the proposed
ban was dropped; and I thought (hoped) it was dead. But now they're at it
again!
I doubt that many of those who elected our esteemed Council members had in
mind that they should occupy themselves with matters such as plastic bags —
especially in today's rocky economic times. Seems to me they should confine
themselves to important things like balancing the county budget without
raising taxes, and finding an affordable long -term solution to solid waste
disposal (vs. trucking garbage across the island). /
Comm. No.
Ref. T ?"~b i Co kl
2/15/2011 Ref. Date FEB 16 200
Page 2 of 2
Here are a few reasons why a bag ban is a bad idea and unnecessary:
1. Most plastic bags are reused. Sure, a few may be discarded on beaches by
irresponsible dummies — to the detriment of marine life. But most of us reuse
them to contain waste (like wet garbage or poop from the cat's litter box) that
goes to the dump. Paper bags are useless for wet waste. Plastic ones are
easier to carry.
2. Some plastic bags are biodegradable.
3. Paper bags cost ten times what plastic bags do. With high unemployment
and looming inflation, it makes no sense to increase our cost of living, which
the ban would do. Hey, people are part of the environment too!
4. It's likely that some would buy their own plastic bags, which would seem to
defeat the purpose of the ban.
5. Kauai and Maui County plastic bag ban programs, after which the Hawaii
ban (Bill 17) is modeled, have already proven unworkable (see HT -T 2/11/11
article). Get real, Council!
2/15/2011