Bag It: Ditch The Plastic And Bring Your Own In Vail

click to expand

VAIL, Colo. (CBS4)- Another mountain town in Colorado is kicking the bag to the curb, literally. Vail is getting rid of all plastic bags within the town limits.

Starting on Saturday, plastic bags will be a thing of the past. Shoppers must bring their own reusable bags or pay 10 cents per paper bag.

"Kind of a needless item, we go through so many of them they end up in our rivers, streams," said Environmental Sustainability Coordinator at Town of Vail Mark Hoblitzell.

(credit: CBS)

It's something shoppers are starting to think about.

"She said they are going to start charging for paper," said shopper Suzie Fuller. "I brought my own. I try to do it all the time."

Cashiers inside Vail's Safeway store are using the final few days before the plastic ban to educate shoppers.

Paper bags (credit: CBS)

"Not new for them, they're used to it from bag programs in Boulder, Aspen," said Hoblitzell.

Vail town leaders say the bag ban is just another step in their overall effort to reduce their carbon footprint.