The discussion about a plastic bag ordinance in Corvallis, Oregon is now under way. Several people from differing political backgrounds were inspired to write letter to the city manager and councilors in support of a ban on single use plastic bags in stores and pharmacies. People who wrote forwarded letters to me from their councilors with very positive responses, saying that there has been discussion of such an ordinance, but they were awaiting citizen interest. It was all very hopeful. Then, yesterday, I got a succinct email from the mayor, who is in his last term. He drives and electric car, and has tried very hard to promote a "sustainable" agenda for Corvallis, so I was sure he'd be in favor of phasing out plastic bags. I was pretty surprised that his response was very negative, ensuring me that there is strong opposition to a bag ordinance and it is definitely not on the horizon, so I shouldn't get my hopes up. That was a big contrast to what we had heard so far. When I posted this new information on my facebook page, with a query about whether people though the "opposition" of which he spoke might be coming from stores themselves, many people chimed in saying they have heard positive reactions from stores about doing away with plastic bags, and several people requested a grass roots movement/organization to get a broader discussion going about the subject. So, I started a Facebook group: Corvallis Plastic Bag Ordinance to invite the greater community to weigh in with the pros and cons and possible solutions to the issue. Maybe after some discussion with the various interest groups and research into how other cities are implementing their bans, we can come to a rational conclusion that works for all sides. Maybe there aren't "sides," and we just need a common starting point from which to move forward. In any case, I'm putting it out there to get the ball rolling, explore the possibilities, and see where we can go from there. Come on and join the discussion!