ALBANY, N.Y. -- Filling shopping carts with plastic bags is common practice for most grocery stores in Albany, but that could change if Common Councilman Glen Casey has his way. The city Democrat is proposing legislation that would ban the use of plastic bags and fine retailers who don't comply. He says plastic bags increase our oil dependence, add to the trash in the land fill and don't always find their way into the garbage or recycling.

“Plastic bags blowing around into trees, bushes, shrubs, clogging the sewer drains,” Casey said.

“Those things you'll find alongside the road a lot more than this stuff here,” said Frank Scanlon, Honest Weight Food Co-Op Shopper.

That's just one reason why many people at the Honest Weight Food Co-Op on Central Ave. support the Casey's proposal.

“I would be happy if that happened. It would just force people to become more resourceful and I think people would do it,” said Co-Op Member Jen Pursley.

The Co-Op puts money where its mouth is, charging customers a few cents extra for plastic bags.
And while many there have switched to canvas or even cardboard, some shoppers, like Marla Eglostein say plastic has its pros.

“They can be recycled. You can use them in your house to line a wastebasket or to clean up after an animal,” Marla Eglostein said.

Price Chopper is also on board with the idea of cutting down on the use of plastic bags, only it says any legislation should be done statewide to make it fair and uniform. And Price Chopper also says that it should be phased in so customers and companies have time to adjust.

And Co-Op leaders agree, saying an outright ban might leave a sour taste in shoppers mouths.

“I think it's a good idea. But I think you need to do something to ah, help the consumer along. Because most of them, it would be a very hard thing for them to do to go without plastic cold turkey,” said Honest Weight Food Co-Op Membership Coordinator Nate Horwitz.

But to avoid ruffling too many feathers, Casey says his proposal will go to committee where they'll discuss it further. And he says even if the council bags this particular plan, in the interest of the environment, he certainly hopes the idea is recycled.