It was clearthat the plastics industry was paying close attention. Across the country,...

[narrator] It was clear
that the plastics industry was paying close attention. Across the country, plastic bag bans
were becoming a trend. San Francisco enacted
the nation's first in 2007, followed by other places,
including Seattle. The last thing the plastics industry
wanted was a city in their home state of Texas banning one
of their most profitable products. And even before Laredo could vote,
other Texas towns joined in. [news reporter] Under the ban, the use
of plastic bags is outlawed in most stores in Brownsville. That means shoppers must provide
their own bags and many of them do. [news reporter] Now Austin's mayor says
Austin should do the responsible thing and ban plastic bags