Los Angeles Bans Plastic Bags

Hawaii may be the first state to completely ban single-use plastic bags, something California never managed to do, but at least Los Angeles is following close behind.

The LA Times reports that the Los Angeles City Council voted 13 to 1 to phase out plastic bags in some 7,500 stores in the next year.

Large stores will reportedly have six months to get rid of plastic bags, while small bodegas (do those exist in Los Angeles?) will have the full 12 months.

As for paper bags, after 12 months retailers will charge $0.10 per bag, making tote bags all the more reasonable. In the past, the paper bag charge has resulted in a 94 percent drop in paper bag use, the LA Times reports.

Tip to Angelenos: Studies have shown that reusable tote bags are full of disgusting germs, so let's all wash them out on a bi-weekly basis.