August 2006 | Ask the Green Commish

Plastic Bag Recycling

By Sadhu A. Johnston

Dear Green Commish, I am sure you’ve already covered this topic at some point when I’ve missed a publication. How is Chicago dealing with the deluge of plastic bags being used everywhere and what will it take to inform the public how to detox ourselves from this habit? I was in Dharamsala, India, home of His Holiness and Tibetans in exile, where plastic bags are banned. They use handmade paper bags, some from Kashmir, that are exported widely to Europe, and are durable, cheap and biodegradable. — Just Curious

Dear Just Curious: The Mayor often asks me the same thing! Dominick’s and Walgreens now offer blue plastic bags that perform double duty: you can use them for both your groceries and your recyclables. Jewel Food Stores also accept plastic bags for recycling. And there are ways to rely less on plastic bags, such as asking for paper bags where available or bringing your own canvas or nylon shopping bag with you.

One of the reasons I wanted to do the “Ask the Green Commish” column was to have another way to communicate with Chicago citizens about environmental issues that are important to them. That’s why it’s exciting to see that letters and questions are starting to come in.

Thanks to everyone who has written in. I look forward to continue to working with all of you to make Chicago the greenest city in the country!

Sadhu A. Johnston, is commissioner of Chicago’s Department of Environment, which administers programs to protect and restore Chicago’s natural resources; reduce waste; clean up brownfields; promote energy efficiency and reliability; educate the public about environmental issues; and enforce the city’s environmental protection laws.

Got a question for the Environmental Commissioner? Email the editor. Please make sure to put in the subject line: Ask the Green Commish. Or send it through the regular post to Ask the Green Commish, Conscious Choice, 920 N. Franklin, Suite 202, Chicago, IL, 60610. Letters may be edited for clarity and brevity.

[Send] Recommend this page to a friend

AddThis Feed Button

Top Ten pages recommended to friends:

  1. Mitral Valve Prolapse
  2. Inflammation = Degenerative Disease
  3. Kombucha
  4. Plastuck
  5. Conversations: David Wolfe
  6. Going with the Flow through Cranial Sacral Therapy
  7. We Like it Raw
  8. Urban Wind Visionary
  9. Dr. Bronner’s Magic Media Soap Opera
  10. Beyond Eco-Apartheid

Find CC In Print
Subscribe to Newsletter