Plastic Shopping Bags to Be Banned in Hudson Valley Town in April

While California has begun banning plastic shopping bags throughout the entire state, there is one village in the Hudson Valley that has just made the check-out bags illegal starting in April. The Times Herald Record has reported that the Village of New Paltz board has voted unanimously to outlaw businesses from giving out plastic bags starting in 2015.

New Paltz is known as a "hippie" and environmental friendly community, so it's no surprise that they are the first municipality in the Hudson Valley to pass such a law. Countries such as India and Ireland already have national bans on plastic bags, so it seems as it if it's only a matter of time before we're all lugging reusable bags back and forth to the store.

In the short term, however, local businesses may have a tough time adjusting.  The Record talked to some local businesses who were concerned over not being able to supply plastic bags to tourists who flock the area each year. They were also wary over the financial hardship of having to purchase and supply alternative bags. The sting of having to charge a customer for their bag is also something that many local merchants would have to consider.

So what do you think? Is it about time we started helping the environment by outlawing plastic bags? Or do you think laws like this only hurt local businesses? Leave your comments below.