Voters in Seattle have rejected a measure to help the environment by taxing users of disposable shopping bags, despite the city’s reputation for being green, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer is reporting.
The measure would have taxed shoppers 20 cents per plastic or paper bag to encourage a reduction in usage of such bags. Fifty-eight percent of Seattle voters said no.
The plastics industry had spent $1.4 million lobbying against the measure; supporters of it spent $80,000.
Looks like you can put a price on convenience after all.
I think the supporters of the measure made a mistake in calling it a “tax.” They should have called it a “happy Earth donation.” Who could say no to that?
As a very wise person once said, “It’s not easy being green.” I think it was Kermit the Frog.
