Fresno shoppers react to plastic bag ban

FRESNO, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – Governor Gavin Newsom’s caller integrative container prohibition volition not spell into effect for different mates of years, but immoderate Fresno shoppers are already reacting to the caller legislation.

Some shoppers accidental they are already utilizing reusable, recyclable bags, for their shopping. 

“My wife's ever prepared, but I'm ever slacking with the integrative bags, truthful I volition decidedly beryllium utilizing insubstantial more,” California nonmigratory Dezmond Lemke said.

Fresno shoppers reacted to the quality that each integrative bags volition beryllium removed from California stores opening successful 2026. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the measure into instrumentality connected Sept. 22.

“We person to beryllium conscious astir our clime change. So small by small we tin marque the difference. So that's truly a bully yes for me,” Shopper Marcela Figueroa said.

“Oh, I'm not blessed astir it, but I bash recognize that we truly don't privation that overmuch integrative astir truthful I conjecture I'll person to carnivore with it. But are they going to springiness maine insubstantial bags and inactive complaint maine 10 cents?” California nonmigratory Verna Jackson said. 

The reply to Jackson’s question is yes - insubstantial bags presently outgo 10 cents per bag. Shoppers person mixed feelings toward integrative bags coming to an end. Some said the caller instrumentality volition payment the environment.

“I deliberation it's a comparatively astute idea. I deliberation we get toward much reusable bags, and that mode you're not seeing them connected the broadside of the road,” Shopper Ryan Harvey said.

Other shoppers person already moved connected from utilizing integrative bags.

“I astir apt volition walk astir $152 for the groceries close now. And if I didn't bring my ain bags close now, I astir apt would request astatine slightest 8 bags. $0.80 isn't much, but for radical that whitethorn not beryllium capable to spend it adds up,” California nonmigratory Luis Gonzales said.

“Maybe it would beryllium an inconvenience if you don't person your ain bags oregon if you hide yours. But successful presumption of getting it from the store to your car, astir radical are utilizing a buying cart anyway, and past getting it from wrong your location to your conveyance oregon your flat to your conveyance mightiness beryllium a bigger inconvenience erstwhile you get home,” Harvey said.

In August of this year, the California Public Interest Research Group conducted a survey that recovered lone 2% of shoppers were reusing those recyclable integrative bags. Thus, providing further justification for the caller law.

“It'll astir apt unit radical to commencement doing what I'm doing, which is redeeming their bags. They commencement getting their ain reusable bags,” Gonzales said.

Back successful 2014, California became the archetypal authorities to walk authorities that banned integrative bags. However, stores could inactive merchantability them if they were reusable oregon recyclable.