Go Plastic Go

No more 5-cent fee: City of Dallas repeals current plastic bag law

Plastic bags are now back on the table as the Dallas City Council voted to repeal the 5-cent fee on disposable shopping bags, as well as a vote against banning plastic bags entirely.

The council voted on the two motions following a tour de force presentation by council member Dwaine Caraway, one that included props, impassioned speeches and public comments from grade school students who pleaded with the council to ban bags.

The current plastic bag law, which took effect on January 1, was under review because the city got hit with a lawsuit from plastic bag manufacturers.

"This is wrong," Caraway said. "This is about money. This is about big business. This is about north against south. Look at the community you're smothering. You're talking about growing south. You can't grow south, not with trash."

To bolster his argument, he set up a demonstration in council chambers. On a blanket of Astroturf, he installed a tree and two fences — one chain link, one barbed-wire — both strewn with plastic bags. He added more plastic bags with a reminder that the city has no budget to clean it up.

"To the manufacturers, we're saying, 'Contribute to a better and stronger material that we can deal with. Strengthen the material so it won't fly everywhere,'" he said.

"I'm not talking about banning all plastic. We're simply saying this is unacceptable. This flies everywhere. What we are saying to the manufacturers is to get a better quality of plastic. Make a contribution to the environment. Don't just think you can come make money off us."

Other municipalities that have banned plastic bags include Australia, China, Japan, Italy and the state of California, as well as cities such as Austin, Brownsville and New York.

"Are we going to bend to the pressure today just for some folks that are calling us because they make money on it?" Caraway said.

All public comments supported a plastic bag ban, including representatives from the Texas Campaign on the Environment, the Dallas Sierra Club and the "Plastic Bag Monster," who was wrapped in plastic bags.

"I urge you to allow me to run rampant in the city, and if not I can sue you anyway," the Plastic Bag Monster said jokingly.

City council member Philip Kingston drew some chuckles when he ceded his time on the topic to Caraway. "Mr. Mayor, do you mind if Mr. Caraway uses my time?" he asked.

"I’m sure he will use it whether I mind it or not," Rawlings said.

The motion to ban plastic bags was voted down first, followed by a repeal of the current bag law. To justify his vote against a ban, Rick Callahan summoned the odious "nanny state" phrase, before pointing out that a number of other items cause trash such as bottles and tires, and stating that he would rather ban Styrofoam.

Scott Griggs said that no one ordinance would resolve everything but that the city needed to take a step in tackling the problem. Kingston pointed out that a new city council would very likely pass a bag ban.

Caraway closed with a scorching speech to the council members who voted against a plastic bag ban, including Rawlings and outspoken opponents Jerry Allen and Rick Callahan.

"You know this is wrong in your heart," he said. "You all know deep down in your hearts the bags are an issue, but are too weak to stand up and do something about it because the manufacturers and the retailers are in your ear."

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Animal News

Advocates find false info being fed to Texas legislators on pet store law

Puppy mill dogs do not have a great life.

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A national pet store chain has been implicated in a dishonest campaign to try and influence Texas lawmakers on an upcoming bill making its way through the legislature.

The pet store chain is Petland, and they're engaged in a battle against The Ethical Pet Sale Bill (SB 1652 / HB 3458), which would encourage pet stores to stop selling at-risk animals from puppy mills and support shelters and rescue groups instead.

The Ethical Pet Sale bill has support from rescue and animal groups across Texas, who are all grappling with a glut of animals on the streets and in overcrowded shelters. That pet overpopulation problem gets even worse when pet stores import more animals from puppy mills in states like Missouri and Ohio.

If Texas passes the bill, it will join a growing number of states and cities who've already passed similar laws including Dallas, Austin, Bryan, College Station, El Paso, Euless, Fort Worth, Houston, New Braunfels, Pasadena, San Antonio, The Colony, Sherman, and Waco.

Most reputable pet store chains such as PetSmart and PetCo do not sell cats and dogs. Petland does. The company operates 84 stores in the U.S., and fights bills like this by hiring lobbyists to discourage legislators from supporting these bills.

Phony list
In this case, a two-page summary was distributed to some Texas state senators listing reasons why they should oppose SB ("The evidence from other states, especially California, demonstrates that these types of bans do more harm than good"), plus a list of organizations that are opposed.

Most of the organizations opposed to the bill profit directly from animals, such as Petland and Puppy Dreams, a North Texas chain that also sells animals.

But the list also had surprising names including PetSmart, PetCo, and Pet Supplies Plus — the three largest pet store chains who all have a history of supporting adoption of shelter animals.

Their presence on the list caught the eye of animal advocacy groups such as Texas Humane Legislation Network and Humane World For Animals, who've worked with the big three in the past.

"We became aware of Petland Inc.’s lobbyist apparently sharing the attached document with legislators, claiming the listed pet and pet product industry leaders are opposing this legislation," said a spokesperson from Humane World of Animals (HWA). "We checked in with contacts at Petco, Petsmart, and the American Pet Products Association, and all of them deny opposing this legislation or giving Petland permission to list them on this opposition letter. It’s very possible others listed in this letter also did not give their permission to be included — we only connected with the those listed above at this stage."

CultureMap also contacted the three major pet store chains and received similar responses that they had not been consulted nor did they issue a rejection of the bill, although none wanted to be quoted.

The misrepresentation is concerning because it muddies the water with false information at a time when the bill is still under consideration:

HB 3458 — the version going through the Texas House — passed a House Committee with a 10-1 vote and has been moved up the chain towards passage.

SB 1652 — the version going through the Senate — still needs to get through the Senate Committee, Calendars, and a floor vote.

"By creating a false narrative about the position of the above industry leaders, this letter has the potential to sway lawmakers at a critical juncture in the legislation’s journey," the HWA spokesperson says.

Two Petland stores in the Dallas area — in Frisco and Tyler — have been the subject of undercover investigations. Petland Webster recently settled a lawsuit with several families that the store allegedly sold sick puppies to, and several lawsuits have been filed against Petland Woodlands in Texas, claiming the store sold sick puppies. One pet owner told the House Committee that he'd spent $20,000 on medical care of a puppy he bought at a pet store.

"Banning the retail sale of puppies and kittens is a common-sense solution to protect both animals and Texas consumers," said Dean Senator Judith Zaffirini of Laredo, who filed the bill. "My SB 1652 would help reduce pet overpopulation, promote responsible breeding practices and prevent families from unknowingly purchasing sick animals. With varying local ordinances in place and further action at the city level now restricted, it is important for the state to provide a clear and consistent approach that prioritizes both animal welfare and consumer protection."

politics animals