LETTER: Local Resident Says Cities That Ban the Bag Lose Her Business

In a "Letter to the Editor," Sharon Woolsey offered up her thoughts on the and the to discuss a potentially similar ban in Campbell.

Here is what she had to say:

This ban is annoying in San Jose. After 62 years of shopping it is engrained in my head that I can simply shop and get my purchases in bags. I constantly forget to bring my own and have to carry items individually in San Jose (I have thought of transporting purchases with the store's hand basket and just leaving it in the parking lot where it will get flattened or stolen - costly for vendors).

Yesterday, I had to wait and wait to be rung up while a lady before me was rung up, forgot her bags, and took five minutes to go to her car and get some. Why couldn't they void the purchase, ring me up and make her get back in line. Be prepared before you get in line!!!! This happens constantly.

As far as Campbell, Los Gatos, Monte Sereno, etc. go, I now boycott San Jose stores and shop in Campbell, etc. because it is easier (difficult to bag your own, put stuff on the counter, pay AND watch the monitor). I figure YOUR cities getting more business because I try not to shop in San Jose anymore. Instead of Luckys at Camden and Union, I go to Safeway at Union and Los Gatos-Almaden Road. Los Gatos wins, San Jose loses business. If you ban I will shop in Saratoga where I work.

Suggestion - offer paper bags and a bigger discount for using/bagging your own and I might reconsider going back to San Jose to shop. I wonder if others are doing the same - see if your sales have increased due to San Jose's idiocy. I use my plastic bags for multiple purposes and do my own recycling.

Upon further thought about this, I notice if there is a ban on bags for groceries, dollar store purchases, etc., how hypocritical that they still SELL plastic bags. A bag is a bag - Whether it's free or paid for, it's still bad for the environment. What's the difference?

Perhaps these business should stop selling plastic trash can liners, zip lock bags, freezer bags, etc. Wouldn't the manufacturers of bags be a bit peeved?  California is a big market. This whole idea seems to be a way to recoup businesses' packaging costs from those who forget to bring their own bags (most of the patrons, so far, I notice), and are willing to pay .10 cents per bag. 

The stores are certainly being opportunistic and taking advantage of the laws. One has to wonder if they lobbied in favor of that law for that very reason.

Ironically, that's my .10 cents worth. I refuse to pay for a bag, and I will continue to shop in Campbell and Los Gatos as long as the bag law is not in effect there.  If/when it DOES go into effect there, I'll go back to the closest, most convenient location, that being San Jose.