Joining the Fight Against Plastic Bags

East Hampton Village banned the bags a while ago. Southampton Village did the same even before that. Now, East Hampton Town is poised to follow suit, ordering that those flimsy, thin bags commonly used in supermarkets no longer be welcome.

Based on our experience in the villages, the bans are hardly a bother; it is easy to get in the habit of carrying one’s own, sturdier totes along when shopping, or in a pinch using, if the purchase is small enough, nothing at all. Much to their credit, about the time the East Hampton Village ban went into effect, a few shops, Cirillo’s I.G.A. in Amagansett, for example, just up and did away with plastic on their own. And California will institute a statewide ban next summer.

Scientific American magazine recently took a look at plastic bag bans and concluded that they were worthwhile in several respects. These included reducing direct impact on wildlife and environmental quality, limiting landfills, and reducing fossil-fuel consumption. It cited one urban study in the United States that saw huge decreases in plastic litter in storm drains and natural creeks as well as on city streets and neighborhoods.

At a time when the use of fossil fuels is of massive concern for its role in climate change, East Hampton Town is right to join those at the forefront, seeking positive steps to help reduce related sea level rise. Local officials might not be able to change the world with one small vote, but they must do everything they can to make a difference.

At the same time, residents might do well to think more seriously about other kinds of single-use products, declining that habitual paper bag for the lunch sandwich, for example. Small steps, if enough people take them, add up.