A while ago I noted that San Francisco had put a ban on plastic grocery bags. Since then, many cities have followed suit, or at least have contemplated following suit.

The problem is that stores aren’t using the biodegradable starch based bags and instead are using paper bags – a big problem for tree lovers and trees alike. The problem is that while a paper bag won’t sit in landfill for thousands of years like a plastic bag will, it actually takes more energy to make a paper bag than a plastic bag.

My suggestion, although probably controversial, is stop selling paper bags too.

Stores can then charge anywhere from $0.10 to $0.25 a bag for the starch based bags. People will learn that you either need to pay up or bring your own bag. And stores can stop bitching that the starch based bags are too expensive and cut into their profits.

In Europe, everywhere I went I wasn’t handed a bag unless I asked for it, and paid for it. And no one complained.

My suggestion – bring your own grocery bags to the store with you.

What? You say you don’t have any reusable grocery bags? Give me a holler – I’ll hook you up with a free canvas grocery bag while I’ve got ‘em.

I apologize, but I am no longer shipping the bags outside of the San Francisco Bay Area. (I actually no longer ship the bags – I either drop them off locally, or leave them at my office for people to pick up.)

The bags are to help people “go green” but the amount of energy it takes to ship something as small as a canvas bag across the country is very wasteful, as is the packaging required to ship it.

I hope you understand and I apologize for any inconvenience.