Carrying the Load

Now that all the hype about the elections is coming to an end, and all propositions have been voted for there is only one question remaining: when will they come into effect?

A lot of people are running scared due to the fact that Donald Trump is currently the president elect, who officially becomes president in January of 2017.

But if the same people who voted for the president have to wait till January for him to get his powers, should not the propositions have to wait too?

The major outcry that has been heard in these last few days is about the outrage of the tax propositions on paper and plastic bags already being put to use in almost every liquor and grocery store in California. Stores are now charging their clients exactly ten cents for every bag they want to use to carry their items. Of course, owners of these stores are expecting huge increase in profit because they know people have to buy bags unless they want a mess of things in their vehicles.

To their astonishment, more people have actually stopped using the bags and just take their things in their hands, bringing their own bags, or are taking the shopping carts all the way to their cars. Many cities, even before Proposition 67 passed in California, had taken their own choice and steps into banning plastic carry out bags. Such cities go as followed, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Palo Alto, and Oakland.

A family member of mine experienced this before many knew about the the proposition to ban carry out bags. He was in Santa Cruz celebrating his wife’s birthday when he made a quick stop to buy an alcoholic beverage. After paying, he told the clerk he needs a bag to leave the store, since alcohol needs to be in a bag. The clerk denied and said that in that county it was banned and if he wanted one he’d have to pay ten cents extra. He left and said if he got pulled over he would be the one to blame, the clerk stated he had nothing to worry about.

Many scientists, as stated in The Mercury News, have said that this is a huge step towards having a better environment, and that they hope many states will follow in California’s steps.

The official polls came out to be 52 to 48, it was a huge win for environmentalists.