California Plastic Bag Ban Makes History: California Is First State To Ban Single Use Plastic Bags; Governor Jerry Brown Driven To Action By Pollution In Streets And Waterways [PHOTO]

This past Tuesday, California Governor Jerry Brown signed the nation's first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags in grocery and convenience stores. This is a historic occasion, as most stores in the US hand out plastic bags for free. It is also a victory for environmentalists, who claim that the 13 million plastic bags California hands out each year end up in waterways, where they don't break down for decades.

According to CNN, the new law goes into effect for large grocery chains and pharmacies beginning July 1, 2015. It will extend to convenience stores and liquor stores on July 1, 2016. The law will not apply to bags used for vegetables, fruits, or meats, or to shopping bags used at other retailers.

Instead of using plastic bags, customers will be offered recycled paper bags or bags made of compostable material at a cost of at least 10 cents. Consumers using California's food-assistance program won't have to pay for bags at all. The law will also provide $2 million in state-backed loans to help businesses transition to reusable bags.

The Huffington Post reports that State Senator Alex Padilla (D-Los Angeles) credits the momentum for statewide legislation to more than 100 cities and counties that already have such bans, such as Los Angeles and San Francisco. Similar bans also exist in Chicago, Austin, and Seattle. Hawaii is also said to be on-track for a de-facto statewide ban.

Governor Brown stated, "This bill is a step in the right direction - it reduces the torrent of plastic polluting our beaches, parks and even the vast ocean itself...we're the first to ban these bags, and we won't be the last," making it clear that California will pave the way for numerous other statewide bans.

Plastic bag manufacturers have pushed back aggressively against the law through their trade group, The American Progressive Bag Alliance. Lee Califf, executive director of the trade group, stated, "If this law were allowed to go into effect, it would jeopardize thousands of California manufacturing jobs, and hurt the environment and fleece consumers for billions so grocery store shareholders and their union partners can line their pockets," further explaining the group's reasons for retaliation.

However, the ban was welcomed by many grocery store owners in the state, who spend millions of dollars a year on plastic bags. Ronald Fong, President of the California Grocers Association, stated, "History was made today, and our environment and our economy will be made better for it," conveying his enthusiasm. Senator Padilla further commented, "A throw-away society is not sustainable...Moving from single-use plastic bags to reusable plastic bags is common sense."