Everyone is catching green fever. Mayor Greg Nickels would like to implement a tax on all disposable bags for Seattle shoppers. There would be a 20-cent fee on each bag in an effort to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions.

For every bag, retailers would get to keep five cents out the 20 to help them cover the cost of implementing the fee.

The tax still needs approval from the City Council and if passed it would go in effect January 1, 2009.

I think this is a great idea. It's already becoming more and more evident that stores are beginning to migrate more towards a green shopping experience by allowing customers to purchase green shopping bags. You can usually find these for around $1 or so and the fact that you can use them over and over again hardly classifies them as being a cost. I like to think of it more as an asset.

I will say that when it comes to plastic bags, they usually end up in a pile under my sink until I find a way to reuse them. Usually that means a Safeway lunch bag for the week or so. If a 20-cent tax is imposed on my plastic bags, I'm sure I would be very inclined to do away with them. Just think about how that could add up when you do your big shopping at the beginning of the month.

One problem I do have with the green shopping bags is the fact that they are usually small. I have yet to see any stores that I frequent with a sizeable shopping experience bag. Granted there are times when I go to the store to pick up a few essential items, I still usually grab much more off the shelves than I wanted in the first place. The size of the bags is usually enough for those who can use the express lanes (about 10 small items). Then again, they aren't so appealing to me so I would definitely suggest larger sizes and a variety of looks.

Since Seattle is one of the leaders in a green market, it just makes complete sense that we do things as a city to truly reflect our green ideas. This is a very beautiful and green city and I would love to see it stay that way. 



Aaron Fields writes for KSTW-TV in Seattle. All opinions expressed in this column are his.