Drew Dakessian
Portland has been abuzz with news that Mayor Sam Adams and members of City Council promised to draft an ordinance banning single-use plastic bags in Portland by the end of the week.
However. California appears to be one step ahead of Portland.
Last Friday, a key committee in the California legislature passed a bill that would have a similar effect, and could be passed by lawmakers by Friday.
If passed and signed by Govenor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who has shown support for the move, the law would go into effect Jan. 1, 2012.
San Francisco was the first city to officially ban plastic shopping bags in 2007, causing a dramatic increase in the use of paper bags citywide.
