POLL: Majority Oppose Food Bag Ban

A majority of Barrington residents do not want the town to consider banning plastic grocery bags, according to a recent Patch poll.

The poll asked the question: Do you think Barrington should consider banning plastic grocery bags?

The answers: Yes, Barrington should consider the idea. No, it's not a good idea, why consider it?

The ‘No’ answer got 54 percent of the votes cast; the ‘Yes’ answer got 45 percent. The percentages were rounded off.

The idea for banning the bags came from Joseph Roberts of Barrington, a political science professor at Roger Williams University and a member of the Barrington Conservation Commission.  He plans to introduce the idea at the March meeting of the commission.

“Not all plastic bags,” said Roberts in the Patch story that introduced the poll. “I just want a ban on the ones used at places such as Shaw’s or used for takeout food.”

Roberts describes himself as pro-environment, but not an activist.

“The bags don’t break down, they last forever in a landfill,” he said. “It would be nice to be the first town in Rhode Island to do this.”

If the Patch poll is any indication, Roberts really only has to sway about 5-6 percent of residents to get the majority to favor his proposed ban of plastic grocery bags. But first he has to get the Conservation Commission to support the proposal.

Stay tuned for the March meeting of the Conservation Commission.