In San Francisco, city leaders are proposing an ordinance to charge customers for each bag used when shopping. The idea is that the plastic bags (selected by 90% of shoppers) and even the paper bags fill up our dumps, kill fish and trash our resources.

America has long been a throw-away society. Other countries, both European and Asian, expect you to bring your own bottle (for cooking oil, for instance) and shopping bag or bags. They charge you a good-sized fee if you don't have a container with you or a shopping bag. When I asked why this was so, that in America everything comes pre-packaged and bags are supplied by the store, I was treated to the look that said, "Some day you'll find out. Just wait and see."

Well, maybe we're finding out that the rape of our lands and our oceans and our air cannot go on indefinitely supporting our "good life" habits. Maybe we'll learn that at some point we have to start taking care of our environment that is the source of life before we have to live hand-to-mouth the way so many millions in other countries do.

Or maybe not. Maybe we'll have to learn the hard way. As George Carlin says, we shouldn't explore Mars and the other planets. Why export the infection?