Letter of the day: Go beyond 'paper or plastic?' by banning one-time-use bags

In an important move, the California State Assembly recently voted to ban plastic bags from pharmacies, groceries, convenience stores and liquor stores. Since a ban in California would serve to raise awareness about the environmental problems caused by single-use plastic bags, this is a step in the right direction. But what would a more comprehensive solution look like? The facts are clear. Each year the United States consumes 30 billion plastic and 10 billion paper grocery bags, requiring 14 million trees and 12 million barrels of oil. The Environmental Protection Agency has shown that only 1 percent of all plastic bags get recycled, mostly because these bags are difficult for recycling plant machinery to handle. However, moving to paper is not the final solution, as paper bags generate 70 percent more air pollution and 50 times more water pollution than plastic bags. Ultimately what needs to be done is clear: A ban on all one-time-use bags is the only environmentally responsible choice for the state of Minnesota, the United States and the world. JEFF SMITH, WHEATON, MINN.