Plastic bag tax in Texas?

Even if Texas state Rep. Rafael Anchia’s seven-cent plastic bag tax fails in the Texas Legislature, nonetheless, it’s a sign of Lone Star environmental progress for it just to get a respectful consideration.

That said, I don’t favor state Sen. Leticia Van de Putte’s idea of a more voluntary plan, where plastic-bagging retailers would have to offer alternative reusable bags and recycling bins.

Of course, Wal-Mart supports this idea, and not only because it has recycling in place. Nobody besides real environmentalists like me use its front-doot plastic bag drops, and it charges, it sells, reusable bags.

The world’s largest retailer does NOT want to pay a seven-cent-a-bag tax at all.

Anchia has introduced Van de Putte’s bill in the Texas House as “Plan B.”

I disagree with that, both tactically and strategically.

You never introduce Plan B until Plan A is exhausted.

And, Plan B isn’t really much of a plan.