At the risk of getting into a political argument, I want to tell you why I like the law Colorado passed banning those plastic shopping bags. For me, it’s not a political issue. Yeah, I know one group says if we don’t get rid of plastic bags, we’re all going to die a horrible death. And the other group says the bag ban means we’ve become commies and no longer have our freedom. Both sides need to just calm down.
The fact is, those bags are a nuisance. I’ve heard them referred to as the unofficial state bird, because you see so many of them flying through the air on our strong Wyoming winds, or perched in trees – sometimes in flocks of dozens.
If we stop using those stupid things, there’ll be a lot less trash scattered out around our otherwise pristine places. I can’t even begin to estimate how many of those things I’ve picked up when I’ve been out in the field hunting. I don’t think I’ve been on a hunt in the last 20 years when I haven’t picked up at least one of them. I’d be happy to not find any of them when I’m out in the wilds.
On a more technical note, they’re made from petroleum. The more they make, the more petroleum they need for it, and the less is available for other uses – like making the gasoline and diesel we need to run our trucks, four-wheelers, side-by-sides and other stuff we use to get out to the woods to hunt in the first place. That makes the price of that fuel higher. If they’re not using it to make bags, it should cause fuel prices to drop, and we’ll be able to hunt more.
For those reasons alone, I’m happy to bring my own bag when I go to the store. It’s not a political statement – it’s just because I’m sick of picking those stupid things up and paying so much for fuel.
