On Nov. 5, Council Speaker Christine Quinn, left, and Councilmember Peter Vallone, Jr., (partially hidden behind Quinn) joined model and presidential niece Lauren Bush at the E. Houston St. Whole Foods Market to support a Council bill requiring recycling of plastic bags at more than 700 New York City stores and retailers. The legislation would apply to any store of 5,000 or more square feet. The bags are not biodegradable and their production worldwide uses more than 12 million barrels of oil per year. Bins would be placed in stores to remind New Yorkers to recycle the bags. The stores would also be required to make reusable bags available for purchase. Many people reuse plastic bags, and the bill doesn’t require individuals to bring all, or any, of their bags to be recycled.
