By Julia Reeves
I have been quiet on the subject of saving the ficus trees on Second and Fourth streets in Santa Monica, and the proposed ban on plastic shopping bags. It seems to me that Santa Monica’s concern about the environment does not include the trees, about which there has been so much fracas! Perhaps somebody has already addressed the issue of the heavy traffic on both streets involved. Trees thrive on carbon monoxide, and there is plenty of it emitted from the constant flow of traffic down these two thoroughfares! Therefore, those trees help the environment, it seems to me. So, I wonder why there is such intense interest in removing them?
As far as the ban on the plastic shopping bags, is the city of Santa Monica also considering a ban on plastic trash bags sold in supermarkets, etc.? … I am a fanatical recycler, and I never, never, dispose of the supermarket shopping bags improperly. As a matter of fact, I use the paper bags from the supermarket, along with the plastic bags to collect and dispose of my personal trash. Personally, I think the plastic trash bags sold for that purpose are worse than those bags one receives from supermarkets.
Perhaps the better alternative might be imposing a penalty on anyone who improperly disposes of plastic supermarket bags, and the encouragement of the proper recycling of them … If the city has a plan for how people are to dispose of their trash in other than store bought plastic trash bags, then, I would like to hear about it.
Oh, while we are on the subject of penalties, how come the city of Santa Monica, so environmentally concerned, allows the continued use of blowers by every single gardener in Santa Monica. I thought it was illegal. They not only pollute the environment through exhaust, they are also responsible for noise pollution as well. How about renewing the ban on blowers, and making an effort to enforce it.
Oh, well, I am just one little voice in all of this.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on February 26, 2008. Read the original PDF.