Following in the footsteps of San Francisco, Seattle, and other cities around the world, the Los Angeles City Council has voted to ban single-use plastic bags. Plastic bags have a huge environmental cost as they enter landfills, waterways and ultimately the ocean, and campaign groups fought hard for the measure, which received 11-1 votes in favor from the council. The measure will go into effect on January 1st, 2014, and it makes Los Angeles the largest city in the U.S. to ban plastic bags. Not only that, but it means that by the end of 2014, over 30% of California’s population will be covered by laws regulating plastic and paper bags.
Read more: Los Angeles Becomes Largest City in US to Ban Plastic Bags | Inhabitat – Sustainable Design Innovation, Eco Architecture, Green Building
Learn More About Plastic Bags in these Great Videos:
The Majestic Plastic Bag, a Mockumentary
Bag It, a Documentary (Real One!), Official Trailer
TED Talk: Tough Truths About Plastic Pollution
Photo: The Majestic Plastic Bag