By a 13-1 vote, the Los Angeles City Council today voted to approve an aggressive plastic bag ban that is aimed at saving taxpayer money for trash cleanup, promoting sustainability, and improving the environment. more ›

The effort to ban single-use plastic and paper bags from grocery stores failed to win support in the State Senate last night, effectively killing the bill. Now there's talk of next steps, which a coalition of local leaders had previously warned of. more ›

A state bill that sought to ban plastic and other single-use bags from supermarkets and other retailers in California failed to garner approval in a late-night Senate vote Tuesday evening. more ›

Although some reports are indicating that a bill to ban plastic and other single-use bags in California has failed in the State Senate, ultimately killing the bill, that was not the case as of 11 p.m. Tuesday night. An e-mailed update from the office of the bill's author, Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D - Santa Monica), explained the technical details... more ›

Sunday morning shoppers at Vons in Wilshire Center had an unusual sight to see from the checkout line. Feet away from them were TV cameras, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and others talking about Assembly Bill 1998, known to many as the plastic bag ban. more ›

As the opposition began airing messages to the public about the prospect of California banning plastic and other single-use bags, Santa Monica Assemblymember Julia Brownley announced today that she has amended her bill in hopes of gaining broader support. more ›

In a bid to pressure state lawmakers to approve California's proposed plastic bag ban, officials from Santa Monica, Manhattan Beach and L.A. County today announced they are ready to do it on their own if they have to. more ›

On the heels of a cute mockumentary in support of state legislation that would ban single-use plastic and other types of bags in most California stores, opponents have released their own advertisement. more ›

A state bill that would ban plastic and other single-use bags from supermarkets and some other types of stores is currently making its way through the California legislature. It has until August to clear both state houses and head to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's desk where he's expected to sign it. more ›

Despite the optimistic future for AB 1998, the statewide ban on plastic bags, Los Angeles County Supervisors are going ahead with efforts to pass their own ordinance. more ›

The plastic bag industry has stepped up in the fight against Assemblywoman Julia Brownley’s ban on plastic bags, which is currently making its way through Sacramento. The American Chemical Council, whose members include prominent plastic bag manufactures, has sponsored a study to test the cleanliness of the reusable bags that will replace plastic bags, according to the Pasadena Star News. more ›

The proposal to ban plastic and other single-use bags at check-out stands in grocery stores, drug stores, convenience stores and liquor stores took another step towards reality today. AB 1998 passed out of the Senate Environmental Quality Committee, but with one proposed amendment to keep the current recycling program in grocery stores until January 1, 2012... more ›

The Los Angeles City Council will decide Friday whether or not to officially support Santa Monica Assemblywoman Julia Brownley’s ban on plastic bags. The resolution (.pdf) formally supports the bill under the stipulations that legislators consider amendments that keep in-store recycle programs open. more ›

With California on its way to being the first to implement a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags the key will be what to use instead. Californians have been creative with their plastic bags, using them for trash can liners, lunch boxes, travel laundry bags, dog poop dispensers, storage units, shower caps, and leftover containers. But with this ban, plastic bags might not be just lying around the house anymore, making the search for alternatives a pertinent one. more ›

The State Assembly passed the ban on single-use plastic bags yesterday in a 41-21 vote, and the reactions seem split as well. In hopes of gaining support for the State Senate decision expected to happen later this summer, the American Chemistry Council (ACC) has released new data. They say that a recent study (.pdf) shows San Francisco... more ›

A bill that would ban plastic and other single-use bags from a variety of stores took a big step today. The California State Assembly approved AB 1998 in a 41-27 vote. Under the legislation, the ban will “eliminate single-use bag litter, which pollutes oceans, beaches, parks and communities and endanger wildlife”, according to the bill's author Assemblymember Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica). more ›

Assemblywoman Julia Brownley (D-Santa Monica) announced today that her bill to ban single-use bags, which includes paper and plastic, has “historic support”. After the bill was amended last week to accommodate all stakeholders, AB 1998 is said to have the support of environmental groups and businesses alike. more ›

Assembly Bill 1998, which would ban single-use plastic bags, passed out of committee today and will now be taken to the Assembly floor for a vote. Santa Monica Assemblywoman Julia Brownley’s bill prohibits any retail establishment that meets the definition of a “supermarket” from distributing plastic or paper single-use bags. more ›

The proposed statewide ban on plastic bags has until next Friday, June 4th to pass or the process starts all over again. Supporters are calling for a final push to secure AB 1998's survival, which will ban the use of plastic bags at grocery and retail stores. Many people feel that ban will directly result in marine protection in an area known as the Pacific Garbage Patch, which extends from Hawaii to San Francisco, containing exceptionally high numbers of plastic waste. more ›

Assemblywoman Julia Brownley is taking another shot at reducing plastic waste currently endangering marine life and littering our coast. Back in 2008 she introduced AB 68 that would have charged a 25-cent fee for every single-use plastic bag used in grocery stores and other retail outlets. But because of the costs to collect those fees -- in hopes of distributing them to education programs -- the bill never made it out committee. more ›