Brad Magnuson, Chairman, ND Renewable Energy Caucus

Dear Mr. Ruby,

There seems to be a disconnect on your end of this issue regarding plastic bags, so, allow me to make clear my position on this:

1.) The legislation hamstrings local communities from deciding what’s best for them, as far as banning plastic bags.

2.) By removing local control, you show local communities that they can’t decide what’s best for them on this issue

3.) The state legislature has no business dictating to local communities what they can or can’t do with plastic bags

4.) By your involvement in the legislation, it was not only unethical, but It’s also a very clear conflict of interest, by virtue of the fact of your ownership of a sanitation company. It doesn’t surprise me that nobody sees this, and that nobody cares. I also have 10 reasons why plastic bags should be banned:

1.) Causes environmental pollution

2.) Made from fossil fuels

3.) Problems with degradation

4.) Kills wildlife

5.) Harmful to human health

6.) Not easy to recycle

7.) High cleanup costs

8.) External costs

9.) Better alternatives to plastic bags are available

10.) Other cities and countries are banning them.

Just because 11 states are doing exactly nothing, as far as banning plastic bags, is simply NO reason for North Dakota to go along with them, that’s a crowd mentality. Only 1% of plastic bags are recycled, meaning, the average family only recycles 15 bags per year, the rest end up in landfills.

80% of ocean pollution enters from land.

On average, humans only recycle 1 bag for every 200 used. So, clearly, it isn’t me who doesn’t know what they’re talking about. You really should’ve done your homework on this issue.