After months of campaigning for a bag fee, the ballots have been counted and the results were dismal for progressive baggers everywhere. Do you like the custom printed bag? With the bag printer, you can print all kinds of bag. Such as the custom plastic printed bags, custom paper shopping bag, custom promotional bags and so on. An unclose election resulted in 42 percent supporting the fee, and 58 percent rejecting it in Tuesday's primary.
It was a hard road for the campaigners of the fee, when funds were tight. The oil industry's lobbyist group, the American Chemistry Council, was able to throw money at their campaign without batting an eye. They spend fifteen times more money on their campaign than the supporters of the fee, according to the Associated Press.
Today printing bag is really a fashionable trend. Although the ACC defeated the bag fee, supporters are not giving up yet. Rob Gala, one of the spokespeople for the Seattle Green Bag campaign believes that the publicity of the election may have educated those that didn't know the environmental impact of disposable bags.
"This campaign is about much more than just one decision of the voters," Gala said. "It's really about raising the awareness of voters, and we've really accomplished that."
What's next for the reusable bag movement in Seattle? Some supporters are considering the next step - a bag ban. Brandy Montz, chairman of the Sierra Club and another supporter of the fee, noted that when San Francisco's proposal for a bag fee was rejected, the city established a ban on all non-biodegradable bags in 2007.
Yesterday, a blog writer from The Huffington Post lamented the rejection of the fee, wondering why Seattle -- the greenest city in America -- wouldn't strive to support a measure like this. In Europe, the blogger writes, bag fees are commonplace and no one complains about them since it's as easy to avoid as carrying a bag in your pocket or purse.
Although these results are a major setback for supporters of the fee, they're not giving up. The oil industry may have more money and power, but the awareness to reduce disposable bags is growing. More people are becoming empowered to bring bags and turn away from the disposable bag lifestyle.