Concerning Environmental Sensitivity: Where Does Responsibility Fall?

Bill Hoffman – owner of Aptos Jewelers
Click the above image to be taken to the New York Times article associated with this post.

As students in an operational management class, we study all issues involved with operating a business.  We are taught that operating in an ethical manner is paramount and all-encompassing.  That an organization’s leaders must be cognizant of the impact their decisions have internally and externally – specifically in regard to the environment.  The article used for this post describes what happens when the government forces businesses to function in a certain way.  I found this article intriguing and in reading it, I found myself extremely conflicted.  Below is a brief synopsis.

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More than two-dozen cities in California have enacted a ban on the use of plastic shopping bags and have begun charging between 5 to 10 cents to use a paper bag.  The movement has created a divide between shop owners like Bill Hoffman – owner of Aptos Jewelers in Aptos, California – and their counties.   Hoffman, who has been one of the more vocal opponents of the regulation, feels that charging his customers (who are often spending thousands in his store) for paper bags is crass.  Hoffman also is of the belief that the way he packages his product is part of the experience he offers.  He is offering a high-end product that requires high-end packaging.  After filing with Santa Cruz County for an exemption from the ordinance, Hoffman was turned down.

The push toward reusable bags has also upset the plastics industry, which is pursuing legal action against counties in California that have enacted a plastic bag ban.  Industry representatives claim that there is insufficient evidence to support that banning plastic bags will have any drastic impact on the environment.

Stephen Joseph, who is the primary voice and attorney for the Save the Plastic Bag Coalition, has argued that bans in cities that have a high tourist presence (such as San Francisco – which is initiating a plastic bag ban this month) will be particularly ineffective because tourists typically don’t travel with reusable shopping bags.  This has led Joseph to deduce that tourists will begin buying reusable plastic bags when they arrive in a location, and will dispose of them upon their departure.  This, of course, would make a huge dent in the purpose of the ban.

When questioned, many consumers voiced a frustration with the ban/paper bag charge, but expressed that it’s ultimately necessary.*

Questions to consider:

  • How do you feel about a movement of this type?
  • Should the government step in and ban materials that are harmful to the environment?
  • Should it be up to the business owner to ensure he/she is operating his/her business in an environmentally responsible manner?
  • Should consumers take the responsibility?

 

* The information provided in this post was drawn from the following New York Times article: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/29/business/energy-environment/communities-curb-use-of-paper-and-plastic-shopping-bags.html?pagewanted=all

4 thoughts on “Concerning Environmental Sensitivity: Where Does Responsibility Fall?

  1. I do think that government should have authority, in a limited capacity, to ban materials that are harmful to the environment. However, it seems that in this case banning the plastic bags will have a negligible impact on the environment but a substantial and detrimental one of local businesses as well as the plastics industry. With such a rift arising from these sanctions, the counties’ businesses could suffer which hurts the community as a whole. I also feel that plastics industry participants are well within their rights to sue the county, since it obviously puts a dent in their sales.

  2. I agree, the government should be able to ban certain harmful things, but realistically, plastic bags are not going anywhere. It is a huge industry and cannot just be banned. The plastic industry will most definitely be affected by the ban and should sue.

  3. I agree, the government should be able to ban certain harmful things, but realistically, plastic bags are not going anywhere. It is a huge industry and cannot just be banned. The plastic industry will most definitely be affected by the ban and should sue.

  4. I believe that while this government regulation will negatively affect the plastics industry and local businesses affected by the ban, it is a necessary step in protecting our environment and making consumers turn to more sustainable practices. These bans and regulations mean that our society needs to find eco-friendly alternatives such as bags that will deteriorate/decay faster if put in a landfill. It is necessary for customers to sacrifice some convenience found in using plastic bags and shift to a long-term focus of sustainability for future generations and the future of our environment. In terms of the business standpoint, in my opinion, it makes a business look better if they promote any “green” initiative. This strategy has seen success in places like Trader Joe’s. Even if it comes as a marginal cost for the business to implement an eco-friendly strategy, I believe it is compensated through the appeal to environmentally-conscious consumers.

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