Looking Beyond the Plastic Bag

This week, the Los Alamos Environmental Sustainability Board voted not to recommend the proposed single-use plastic bag ban to the County Council after hearing comments from members of our community. I appreciate the Board’s willingness to listen to a variety of perspectives before making its recommendation.

I was one of the community members who spoke during public comment. As Assistant Store Leader for Operations at Smith’s Marketplace, I shared my perspective based on my experience in grocery retail while speaking in my personal capacity.

I want to be clear about one thing: I believe everyone shares the same goal. We all want a cleaner community and we all want to reduce unnecessary waste. The question isn’t whether we should be good stewards of our environment, but how we accomplish that goal in a way that is effective, equitable, and practical.

From a business standpoint, I recognize that reducing plastic bag usage could lower costs for larger retailers like mine. My greater concern is for our locally owned grocery stores, restaurants, and small businesses that may not have the same purchasing power or flexibility to absorb higher packaging costs. Good public policy should consider those impacts alongside its intended environmental benefits.

More importantly, I believe we should ask ourselves a broader question: How do we define success?

Plastic grocery bags are only one piece of a much larger challenge. Every day, our community purchases products packaged in plastic; from produce containers and frozen food packaging to beverage bottles, household goods, and countless other items. If reducing plastic waste is truly our objective, then we should be willing to have a broader conversation about how we reduce waste throughout our community rather than focusing on a single product.

I also believe there should be greater clarity whenever costs are passed on to consumers. If alternative bag fees are part of future proposals, what purpose should those fees serve? Should they simply offset business costs, or should they be invested in local recycling, environmental education, or community sustainability initiatives? Those are conversations worth having.

I also believe education and personal responsibility remain powerful tools. Many residents already choose reusable bags, recycle, and make environmentally conscious decisions every day. Encouraging those behaviors through education and community engagement can complement thoughtful public policy in meaningful ways.

The Board’s vote doesn’t end this conversation and it shouldn’t. If anything, I hope it encourages us to pursue more comprehensive solutions that bring together residents, businesses, environmental advocates, and local government.

Environmental stewardship and economic vitality are not competing values. With thoughtful discussion and collaboration, I believe Los Alamos can achieve both.

I look forward to continuing that conversation with our community.