About the end of plastic shopping bags in supermarkets.

As of January first, many supermarkets in the Los Angeles are blocked by law from packing groceries in plastic shopping bags. Shoppers either bring in their own bag, or purchase a paper bag for a dime, or carry their purchase out in their hands or arms.

But now the reality of this plastic bag ban is starting to sink in, and on Facebook some consumers are talking about how they are running out of these small supermarket plastic bags for use in their homes as trash can liners.

I've always used the supermarket plastic bags as trash can liners in my office waste basket and of course in the bathroom waste baskets. Soon my "stash" will run out as well. So what will I do?

Well, instead of being able to recycle plastic bags from my local market, I will have to buy plastic trash can bags.

I would like to ask the plastic bag "do-gooders" if this is what they expected? Instead of recycling plastic bags that were already made -- now their plastic bag ban will force consumers to buy newly manufactured plastic bags.

Is there any net saving here of resources or land-fill space? I don't think so. But I think the cost of living did go up by a notch.

Supermarkets have gotta love the plastic bag ban because I can just imagine their sales of plastic trash bags are going up.

And what about that dime that the supermarkets get for each paper bag sold to a customer at check out -- who gets the dime? I've been wondering if that ten cent charge is a penalty paid to the state or is it extra revenue for the supermarkets? Well, I did a search on the Internet and found that the supermarkets can keep the dime per bag with no restrictions.

Great -- the do-gooders not only raised the cost of living by a notch, but they also gave the supermarkets more revenue and probably more profits as well.

And ready for this: supermarkets can legally charge more than 10-cents per bag.

The do-gooders didn't do so good this time. There are better ways to help the environment than digging holes in our pockets.

I don't remember voting for the plastic bag ban. And if it ever comes up on the ballot to remove the plastic bag ban I know what I will be voting on.

It's really annoying how this ban on plastic bags is expanding. Now retail stores -- not just supermarkets -- cannot provide bags for customers. Thank goodness fast food restaurants can still give you a bag for your burger and fries. But is that next?

In Huntington Beach, where I grew up. They've been charging for plastic bags. Same situation as you've stated Alan. But, the plastic you must pay for. The bags are much thicker and bigger. Like the ones Smart and final use to use.

We need a list of AP plays to get out of paying for the bags...