Just over a year ago, August 18, 2009 to be exact, Seattle voters said NO to Referendum 1 in the primary election.  Referendum 1 if you recall would've charged shoppers 20-cents per paper and plastic grocery bag.  According to the Seattle P-I, "the American Chemistry Council, the lobbying arm of the plastic industry, spent more than $1.4 million to defeat Ref. 1. Environmental interests, by comparison, only raised about $80,000. Seattle Pubic Utilities estimated that 360 million disposable bags are used in the city each year."

In thinking about the oil spill and some of the products we create via oil (plastic bags), we thought it a good idea to shed light on this topic once again.  According to a study in 2008 by Indiana University, more than 1.6 billion gallons of oil are used each year for plastic bags alone.  So why the No vote on Referendum 1 Seattle?  We believe it came down solely to the HUGE amount of money spent by Big Oil to defeat it. 

So what's being done about it?  Well, nothing here really.  But check out California.  According to the San Francisco Chronicle, California is set to be the first state in the nation to outlaw plastic shopping bags - and charge shoppers at least 5 cents for paper ones.  Come on Washington, what do  you say we try again?

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