Students Track Effects Bag Ban Has On Customer Bag Choices

Students at Santa Monica High School conducted a 19-month study to examine the effects of the Santa Monica, CA plastic bag ban (implemented 9/1/11) had on consumer bag choices. The results show that at regular grocery stores, mean plastic bag usage went from 69% pre-ban to 0% post-ban, with reusable, paper and no bag usage increase from 10%, 5% and 15% pre-ban to 41%, 23% and 36% post ban, respectively.