There are many environmental issues that need addressing. But with the federal and state governments moving at their usual pace, cities are getting fed up and taking matters into their own hands.
From India to America, East Coast to the West Coast, we've rounded up the movements against plastic bags, plastic bottles, and even plastic toys that are getting boosts from mayors and town councils who want the best for their citizens, plus one very un-eco-friendly town in Colorado.
Cities Get Tough: Bans
Plastic Bags(01 of10)
In September Treehugger reported that Brownsville, Texas banned plastic bags. The ban goes in effect on January 5th, when customers who forget bags will be charged a dollar for an extra one. Pharmacies, hardware stores and dry cleaner are exempt. USA Today reports that the anti-bag sentiment is spreading. California couldn’t muster the votes to ban bags, but individual cities like San Francisco, Malibu, Fairfax and Palo Alto are already there, and more cities are threatening to follow suit. Then there is Westport, Connecticut; the Outer Banks in North Carolina; Bethel, Alaska; Edmonds, Washington, and the American Samoa Islands. Our neighbors down south are getting in on the action too. Mexico City banned plastic bags in August of this year. (credit:File/Flickr/Julian Stallabrass)
Bottled Water(02 of10)
Cities aren’t too hot on the trend of buying crates of trashy, expensive bottled water when the tap water is just fine. In 2007 the mayor of San Francisco banned bottled water in government offices, and Seattle followed suit in 2008, but that was just the beginning. Concord, Massachusetts banned the sale of bottled water in April. And down under in the city of Bundanoon (gotta love that name) residents cheered when a ban on bottled water sales passed by nearly unanimous vote. (credit:File/Flickr/René Ehrhardt)
Happy Meal Toys(03 of10)
Another free plastic item that gets trashed almost right away, the Happy Meal toy has the added benefit of enticing toddlers to an unhealthy meal. That puts the made-in-China, plastic wrapped toys on the hit list of both environmentalists and childrens health advocates. Naturally it starts in California. In April the county of Santa Clara banned happy meal toys from being included in fast food meals. Now San Francisco is proposing a similar ban on toys in meals that don’t include fruit or vegetables, have sugary drinks, have too much sodium, and/or are over 600 calories. (credit:File/Flickr/stallio)
Polystyrene (04 of10)
There is nothing redeeming about polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam. It leaches chemicals, exposes the workers who manufacture it to toxins, and never biodegrades in the landfill. A few cities have gotten in the news for banning water bottles and plastic bags, but the list of cities banning polystyrene is impressively long - over a hundred as of February. It’s not surprising that the bulk are in California, but you’ll find bans in New Jersey, Oregon, Washington, Maine, and New York. Other cities are currently considering a ban. (credit:File/Flickr/PatHayes)
BPA(05 of10)
By now you’ve heard about the chilling health problems that may result from exposure to bisphenol-A. It’s found in the lining of food cans, water bottles, on receipts, and even baby bottles. In 2009 Chicago took an early step and banned BPA from sippy cups and baby bottles sold in the city. That followed a ban by Connecticut earlier in the year. Next was Canada in April.California senator Feinstein introduced legislation in April to ban BPA across the US. (credit:File/Getty)
Smoking in Parks(06 of10)
Many cities and states have now passed bans on smoking indoors. Now New York City wants to take it a step further and help out all those joggers and parents looking for fresh air in the city parks and beaches. (What is worse than enjoying the sunshine and trees, and having smoke blown in your face?) The ban on smoking in parks isn’t just for humans, cigarette butts have been shown to be bad for animals and habitats as well. (credit:File/Flickr/Quasic)
Natural Gas Drilling(07 of10)
As controversy grows over gas drilling, or fracking, and the serious dangers it poses to drinking water, towns are attempting to fight back. Pittsburgh Councilman Doug Shields proposed in August to ban the practice, but he faces an uphill battle against powerful energy interests and the state itself looking for tax dollars. (credit:File/AP)
Old Vehicles(08 of10)
Forget Cash for Clunkers, the city of Kolkata in India, where an estimated 70 percent of residents suffer from respiratory problems, outright banned vehicles older than 15 years last year in August. Officials seized taxis, buses, and almost all of the city’s rickshaws. Residents on the whole were not amused. Transport operators protested and damaged six government buses in response. (credit:File/Flickr/eirikref)
Selling Pets(09 of10)
San Francisco is at it again. A proposed ban on pet stores selling pets, of any kind except fish, aims to reduce the amount of unwanted animals euthanized every year. The ban would affect more small animals like rodents, lizards, and birds than cats and dogs. Surprisingly, far more scaled and feathered animals meet their end at shelters than our larger furry friends. Other US cities have banned the sale of dogs and cats from pet stores, trying to crack down on the inhumane conditions of puppy mills and kitten factories. (credit:File/AP)
Bonus: Backward Town Bans Biking(10 of10)
Really??We’re pretty excited about cities taking charge where the government fails, but this is just backward. Black Hawk, in the normally environmentally friendly state of Colorado, banned biking in June.The city council cited safety concerns, but couldn’t produce any reports of bike/car accidents. (credit:Flickr/Jeffrey Beall)
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