After evaluating the environmental, ecological, and litter impacts of various types of single use bags, it is conclusive that the widespread use of reusable bags in lieu of single use bags would be socially, ecologically, and economically beneficial.  Facilitating the increased use of reusable bags would conserve energy and natural resources, diminish plastic bag litter, and invite citizens to actively participate in practices that promote a clean and sustainable environment.*

Specifically, the benefits of widespread use of reusable bags include the following:

• Fewer single use plastic carryout bags littering the neighborhoods.



• Decreased likelihood of single use bag litter negatively impacting the marine environment (marine wildlife, such as sea turtles and whales, ingest littered plastic carryout bags, which they mistake for food).



• Significant cost savings to taxpayers (e.g., less money spent on litter prevention, cleanup, and enforcement resulting from single use bag litter).



• An environmental cycle motivated by less waste generated, fewer natural resources consumed, reduced energy consumption, and less air and water pollution from manufacturing, transportation, and recycling/disposal processes.



• Grocers' costs for purchasing single use bags may no longer be passed on to customers.



• Reinforces current state law (Assembly Bill 2449, Levine, 2006 Statutes) whose goal "to encourage the use of reusable bags by consumers and retailers and to reduce the consumption of single use bags."



• Assists in the development of the emerging "green economy" by spurring the reusable bag industry.*