‘Bag Monster’ Takes to the Streets to Promote Plastic Bags

Even on a sweltering, 90-degree afternoon, the "Bag Monster" showed up fully-dressed at the County Center in Redwood City last week to - in a show of reverse-psychology - promote the use of plastic bags.

In a full bodysuit made up of 500 plastic shopping bags, the Bag Monster said he was pleased that the average person uses 500 plastic bags over the course of a year.

“Who else is going to clog the storm drains and smother marine life?” he said. “I must protest because [the County] is trying to stop my livelihood!”

Temporarily dropping the “Bag Monster” identity, Dean Peterson, the San Mateo County Director of Environmental Health, explained that the Board of Supervisors is looking into a proposed plastic bag ban.

The public comment period has closed on the draft environmental impact report and County staff will present its final report to the Planning Commission soon. If the report is approved, the Board of Supervisors will vote whether to approve the ban or not.

San Mateo County is trying to join cities like San Jose, Sunnyvale and San Francisco in their similar plastic bag ordinances.

San Francisco passed the first law banning single-use plastic bags in 2007, and 44 other California cities and more than 24 others around the country have followed suit, according to news reports.

What do you think? Should San Mateo County pass the plastic bag ban? Tell us your opinion in the comments below.

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