Call Senator Bob Smith (732) 752-0770 to save plastic bags! (Opinion)

We have to stop this misguided, environmental activism based on myths that is crushing the business and convenience climate in New Jersey. Why should NJ residents and businesses sacrifice convenience, efficiency and risk unsanitary conditions in order to satisfy the radicals who run our state?

Politicians like Bob Smith want you to feel guilty for picking up your take out order in a plastic bag. Banning plastic bags will drive up the cost of business and that cost will be passed on to you. And the problem with pollution in our oceans is not coming from America. Check out the list of the real polluters HERE.

Remember the crazy outcry over microbeads? That led to numerous bans across the world and even with all of the bans in place, the BEST estimate of ocean pollution reduction is 1-2%. That means the gutless politicians attacked something they knew very little about and tried to solve a technology problem with a political solution. Meanwhile waste treatment plants are already removing 99% of the microbead pollution that could have ended up in the oceans.

...for example, microbeads contribute to only 0.1-1.5% of all marine litter. While it’s still litter…it really is miniscule. Further research conducted in the U.S and Europe also shows that wastewater treatment plants can remove up to 99% of all microbead litter. - Awesome Ocean

How about the myth about floating islands of plastic trash the size of Texas, which could be seen from space?!? Totally false.

Propaganda is a huge driver of legislation. In New Jersey, this do-gooder mentality is literally putting people out of business and driving normal people out of our state. We need leaders in Trenton who will push legislation that will lower the cost of doing business, punish polluters and empower average families to keep more of their hard earned money to spend on things in the Garden State to improve their own lives. The economic cycle of capitalism works. When government steps in to ban things that are beneficial, that cycle gets interrupted and people get hurt.

So why not create tax incentives for businesses to grow and continue to improve technology that will contribute to a cleaner environment? Did you even know that there is a bacteria that actually eats plastic? Why are we not discussing the expansion of real world solutions instead of inconveniencing millions of New Jerseyans who rely on plastic bags to shop? And if you're like me, repurpose those bags for our bathroom trash cans and of course scooping the poop from our dogs!

Plastic, styrofoam, microbeads, all great human innovations that made life safer, cleaner and better (which has made me love styrofoam cups). That said, we obviously need a solution for everyday trash and polluters. What foolish men like Senator Bob Smith don't seem to understand is we already have the solutions. Harnessing landfill gas to power homes, industrial recycling, plastic eating bacteria, the list goes on. What we need in Trenton are politicians who encourage innovation. We don't need to stifle progress because of some fantasy that your grocery store bag is ruining the earth.

So call Senator Bob Smith and tell him and every other clown in Trenton to start working on real solutions for real problems. Like the disastrous climate for business in NJ and the overwhelming tax burden on our residents? Is anyone in Trenton speaking for us? Anyone? Bueller?

Bill Spadea is on the air weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m., talkin’ Jersey, taking your calls at 1-800-283-1015. Tweet him @NJ1015 or @BillSpadea. The opinions expressed here are solely those of Bill Spadea.

More from New Jersey 101.5: