Change.org Takes Aim at Mike Tryon’s Plastic Bag Bill
Mike Tryon passed a bill to force producers and distributors of plastic bags to start a re-cycling program.
He got spanked by the Chicago Tribune in late April for “heaping regulation” on us, the consumers.
In view of the email I received today, it is no accident that the bill was supported by the companies it would regulate.
June 6th, the Chicago Tribune ran a big article on Mike Tryon’s plastic bag regulation bill.
They obviously viewed it more favorably than the alternative–an outright ban.
Now comes an email, forwarded by Change.org, from Amy Goldberg of Grayslake.
Abby Goldberg of Grayslake holds up a white plastic bag with the word “NO” written on it.
“I never expected that a school project would make me an enemy of giant plastics companies. After all, I’m only 12.
“But when my friends and I learned that Americans throw away 100 billion plastic bags every year, causing huge amounts of litter and pollution, we knew we had to do something. Cities like Austin and Los Angeles have made a huge dent by banning plastic bags, so we started a school project to ban plastic bags in our town, Grayslake, Illinois.
“Things were going really well… until the plastic industry started lobbying for a bill that would prevent people like me in every town in Illinois (except Chicago) from taking actions to reduce plastic bag litter. Seriously?? These corporations have no business telling towns like mine that we can’t make decisions for ourselves.
“The bill — SB 3442 — has already passed the Illinois House and Senate. Our last chance to stop it from becoming law is to convince Governor Pat Quinn to veto it.
“One thing that makes me especially angry is that the American Progressive Bag Alliance, which represents the companies that manufacture plastic bags, has said that SB 3442 could be ‘a model bill’ for all states. That means that they could push their corporate interests all over America, preventing kids like me and towns like mine from taking action to stop pollution.
“Well, the corporations may be afraid of me, but I’m not afraid of them. I know that if thousands of people sign my petition, Governor Quinn will see that the public doesn’t want these big corporations telling our towns what we can and cannot do. And when we win, that veto will be a signal to Big Plastic that they had better not expect to take their bill to other states without a fight.
“Thanks for helping me with my project — and helping all towns fight pollution.”
I use my plastic bags for picking up dog poop, they work great and the neighborhood benefits.
1So do I, but…would rather those lobbying dollars go into finding a sustainable (plant not petroleum based?) biedegradable alternative.
But that’s just me…
2Try freedom.
3This is absolutely ridiculous.
Meanwhile, Mr. Tryon defends the government putting the toxic fluoride in our public water supply!
4He is dangerous!
Recycle the plastic bags?
Good Idea.
Put one over Mike Tryon head.
Tell him to breath deeply.
5I find this petition (as I have some others) misleading. It makes it sound like the bill is pro production of plastic bags.
It’s not.
It seeks to regulate the use by enforcing recycling.
While people should be able to choose to take the ideal route – ban plastic bags altogether – many, if not most, won’t, and this is the second best alternative.
If there’s something government should have the power to enforce, this is it!
6The real point is that corporations can buy our government by bribing crooked politicians, forcing anything they want down our throats, even if we don’t want it.
If it isn’t plastic bags, it’s the banksters, with Goldman-Sachs at the head, telling Congress and the President what to do. Your vote is a joke.
7What a Laugh – Your post is disgusting and disturbing.
8