Mailbag: Polystyrene ban would be responsible

Caring for the environment that our grandchildren will inherit is rational and progressive. (“What will they try to ban next?” Oct 31).

It is not a hassle to carry a washable, nylon bag that can be used for takeout, groceries or clothes shopping. It can easily fit in a purse or cargo pocket.

A heavy canvas tote is seldom necessary since many of the bags available at most drug stores and supermarkets are lightweight and strong. Reusable bags pay for themselves since many stores give a discount for each bag used.

It is also easy to take a reusable, plastic container or wax paper in a purse or small, nylon bag to a restaurant for leftovers.

One can also request an aluminum container or a piece of foil. There are many responsible eateries that provide take-home containers made of degradable or recyclable material.

A number of cities and counties in the country have banned polystyrene packaging, including Berkeley more than a couple decades ago and just recently San Jose.

A ban in Laguna Beach on polystyrene would move the city closer to its zero waste goal and help reduce storm water trash. The polystyrene industry claims that polystyrene is recyclable, but it is difficult and expensive to recycle. And most of it never gets recycled.

Many such ordinances have been introduced to city councils by young people. Some elementary students in Freeport, Maine, got community support, petitioned their town council and won their fight, although a major fast-food chain argued against them.

I’d like to challenge the youth of Orange County to take on the fight against polystyrene.

Linda Newton

Fountain Valley

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Plastic bag ban will drive people away

Huntington Beach’s ban prohibiting distribution of single-use plastic bags will start Nov. 1. There will be a 10-cent charge for each paper bag issued.

I do not have a problem banning plastic bags. I can live with that and usually take my bags, but the city is charging 10 cents per bag and the stores do not get to keep it. It goes straight to the city.

So I bought a new reusable bag, but what is so sad is that a cashier at a store I shop at proceeded to tell me how people have been coming in and saying they went to the same chain grocer in Costa Mesa where they will double bag paper bags and not charge.

Huntington Beach not only bans the bags but is charging 10 cents for paper bags.

Does anyone on the City Council have common sense?

Betty Cox

Huntington Beach

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10-cent fee in H.B. unacceptable

I live in a neighboring town. I shop often in Huntington Beach. I will do so no longer.

When told I would either have to buy a bag or bring my own, after spending $150, I declined both options and have now spent my last dollar in the city.

I am not real sure of the motivation for this ordinance, maybe some misguided effort to clean up plastic, paper or whatever to reduce the impact on the environment.

However, the result is a loss to all the shopkeepers in Huntington Beach. I will no longer shop there since I feel as though I am being penalized for doing so.

I live in a city where our trash haulers separately pick up our recylable goods. I don’t so much mind that. But I often leave home with no particular intention to shop and suddenly think I have a bit of free time to do just that.

I do not intend to carry bags in my car or on my person. I do not intend to pay the 10 cents per bag. I simply have removed all of Huntington Beach’s merchants from my patronage.

I would hope that many others join my boycott until the City Council realizes the loss of revenue is one of the unintended consequences of its decision.

Nancy Bandley

Garden Grove

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“4000 Miles” has powerful ending

Re: “The first 3,999 miles are the best,” Huntington Beach Independent, Oct. 31.

Far from being a “fizzled finale,” the last line of “4000 Miles” provides perfect resolution.

Because the audience has been caught up in the plot, the viewers don’t realize that what they’ve been watching is a carefully crafted portrait of Vera.

Her blunt but honest comment about her neighbor describes Vera herself and her impact on her “stone” of a grandson. “She was a pain in the ass, but she could make things grow.” What ending could be more simple or powerful?

I hope your readers don’t stay away from this fine South Coast Repertory production, and I hope the reviewer will see it again.

Nancy Grant

Laguna Beach

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City should hang on to its history

The Huntington Beach City Council has voted to allow the demolition of the Wintersburg site, giving preservationists time to move the six buildings at the site.

I must say that the vote amounts to nothing more than a ship of fools or drunk sailors who have no regard for historical aspects of our city.

May I ask what historical entities remain in this city?

What else are we going to sell out? We are going the way of the steamroller and developer.

Every little bit of what was Huntington Beach, and what is now called Surf City, is disappearing. What we are left with is the Myrtle Beach of the West Coast — a hamlet of malls and cookie-cutter brick and mortar shops with no character whatsoever.

Why is it that so many of our beach cities (Seal Beach, Newport, Corona del Mar, Laguna, San Clemente) maintain a small-town atmosphere and their individual provenance, yet we seem to love to dismantle the things that are part of our city’s history and go retail or big business?

Drew Kovacs

Huntington Beach