About paper bags. I don’t think they are a problem in our streams. I don’t see them much (I do see a lot of plastic bags and bottles!). By the time paper bags get flushed down the storm drains and storm pipes and into the streams, they have disintegrated. They are more a litter problem along roads. Also, folks will take their fast food paper bags and toss them out their car windows full of plastic trash. So paper bags can be a “delivery system” for plastic trash like straws, utensils, and cup lids.

About Costco/Leggett not caring about green buffers. I don’t think it is a situation that they don’t care, it is more their priorities. Costco is a corporation. A corporation is formed to maximize the profits for its shareholders, not create healthy communities or protecting environments. When Costco determines its rate of return on investments, preserving green buffers is not factored in. About Leggett. I would not say he does not care about green buffers, it is just that he care more about getting this Costco store into Montgomery County at whatever means possible. Unfortunately, those who value the green buffer most are those who live close to it. I assume the decision makings in the Costco corporate office live far from Wheaton and don’t see value in this green buffer. It also does not help that most people in the county send a lot of time indoors at home and at work and have no understanding about the value of green space. What concerns me is that I can understand Costco taking their position of maximizing their shareholder profits and politicians taking the position of getting Costco in at whatever means necessary, but for agencies that are mandated to protect our natural resources looking the other way is very sad. Danila’s photo of the erosion of the green buffer is a serious problem. We should not have this disregard for the buffer and adjoining community.

paper bags shouldnt be taxed.
did your organisation tell leggett to put pressure on stores to offer biodegradeable bags? or you just wanted a bag tax?
and again, safeway/giant/target recycle pplastic bags. did you suggest to leggett that he tell the county recycling office to contact whoever safeway/giant/target sell their recycled bags to and see if a contract could be made. then we could put our plastic bags in our blue bins.

leggett ALREADY gave costco 2mill--just like he gave macys 4mill--.so costco needs to build the buffer!

read http://ww2.gazette.net/stories/05182011/silvnew205034_32535.php ..wheaton is getting all the $ year after year!

lilkunta,
our organization did not take a position on the bag bill (we did join the effort to promote the use of reusable bags once it became law though), so we made no suggestion at all to the County on how the law should be written.

ed: i mixed uo you and this group
http://silverspring.patch.com/articles/northwood-students-testify-in-support-of-the-plastic-bag-fee

yes, different groups. I have, however, worked with the Northwood students over the years, and have been impressed by seeing so many of them working to clean up our Wheaton communities.  Student get criticized by  many, but I see a lot of the Northwood students out there cleaning up the mess created by us adults.