Letter: City can’t solve global problem of plastics

As I look at what the City Council is doing, I question who they are representing (“Council advances bill banning disposable plastics,” Star- Advertiser, Oct. 25).

They are supposed to be representing us, the people who elected them. Who I see them representing is the environmentalist.

I agree that there is a global issue with plastics in the environment. However, the global issue is not a local one. Our contribution to this global problem is minuscule. What is not minuscule are the costs we will incur by using substitute products, which are more costly and more environmentally unfriendly.

What I see the Council doing is looking at this global issue and trying to affect it, which they can’t do, by forcing us to use more expensive products. A balance between environmental and economic issues is reasonable. We are way out of balance toward the environmental with this proposed ban.

Rob Rietow

Nuuanu

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