We asked people on the street: Should Park City Ban Plastic Bags?
This June, Park City became the first municipality in Utah to ban plastic bags after a unanimous City Council vote in May. Only three grocery stores in Park City (namely The Market at Park City, Rite Aid and Fresh Market) were affected, as competitors Smith’s and Wal-Mart are located outside the city proper in Summit County. We checked with local shoppers to see where they weighed in on the issue.
Jemma Feltovich
“Yes. Our environment is in danger, especially with the current administration, and it’s good to help out any way we can.”
Jeff Collins
“I think plastic is outdated. Even though it’s cheap, we know it stays a long time. This is a beautiful landscape, and it’s not fun to see plastic around. The fact that plastic bags are made from petroleum and we use them so frequently shows how reliant we are on oil, and anything we can do to reduce waste is definitely a step in the right direction.”
Julia Alcox
“When Park City started, we didn’t have any of these commercial brands, and I feel like we should go back to try to save some of what we’ve done over the last ten years. We’ve always been a small town and eco-friendly. Plastic bags aren’t the biggest issue we have, but it’s definitely a step in the right direction.”
Chris Lovato
“I think the market can take care of it by itself without the government.”
Damien Patton
“I don’t like City Council banning much without going to a full vote of the people. I think they should put the charge in the cost of the goods. This issue can become a sore subject and
divide communities.”
Lucia Feltovich
“I think we should absolutely put a small tax or fee unless people bring their own bags, but we shouldn’t ban them altogether because if someone forgets their bag they’ll be in a real pickle.”
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See more inside our 2017 September/October Issue.
