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  No longer an oasis of polyethylene in Santa Clara County, Gilroy joined the rest of the state in getting rid of single-use plastic bags, as California voted to ban the environmental hazard on Nov. 8, the first state in the nation to do so.Proposition 67, which put plastic shopping bags on the chopping block, was passed 52 to 48 percent and created a unified law for the state, which saw an increasing number of local jurisdictions take up the issue since San Francisco became the first city in California to ban plastic bags in 2007.“It’s for the environment, no plastic bags is okay with me; I can carry my stuff,” said Gilroy resident, Kaylee Amaro, who was seen carrying her shopping, a package of cookies, outside Safeway on Friday.Effective immediately, the plastic bag ban restricts food retailers, corner markets and grocery stores from providing single-use plastic bags. Recyclable paper bags can be bought for 10 cents each. The money collected is kept by the retailer. A competing measure, Prop. 65, would have directed the fees to be used for environmental activities, but it did not pass.Before last week’s vote settled the matter in California, 122 ordinances banning single-use plastic bags had been approved in the state, covering 151 county or local jurisdictions, according to Ballotpedia. That is nearly half of California.In Gilroy, a single-use plastic bag ban was discussed by the City Council, first in 2008 to support the Cities Association of Santa Clara County and again a few years later, but the council took no action.In April, Councilwoman Cat Tucker reintroduced the issue at a policy meeting, but it was not pursued by the council.Now, Tucker, who won re-election to the council on Nov. 8, said she had been expecting the proposition to pass.A poll in October showed 45 percent of likely California voters supported the ban, along with a wide swathe of businesses, unions and organizations. Prop.67 was also endorsed by Gov. Jerry Brown and local state Senator Bill Monning.“I am happy,” said Tucker. “I personally always bring cloth bags when I go grocery shopping.”The passage of Prop 67 ratified Senate Bill 270, banning plastic bags in the state, considered a landmark bill when Governor Jerry Brown signed it in 2014.The bill was shelved after a successful signature-gathering effort by American Progressive Bag Alliance, a lobby group for plastic bag manufacturers, stalled it in its tracks.The same group spent $6.14 million to fight Prop. 67, and despite raising almost double the amount raised by the Yes on 67 campaign, it failed to stop momentum to ban that had been building across the state.Now, shoppers in Gilroy will have to kick their plastic bag habit, just like others in Santa Clara County did in years past.Plastic bags were banned in unincorporated areas of the county, including San Martin, since 2012. Morgan Hill’s ban began on Earth Day (April 22) 2014. San Jose has been plastic bag free since 2011.Even though the writing has been on the wall for sometime now, the change caught some by surprise at the grocery store in the days after the election.“It’s hard when you have the two kids and are trying to carry everything,” said Noemi Santiago, as she left with her two young children and an armload of groceries from Safeway on First Street.The plastic bag ban will not just require a behavioral shift from Gilroy shoppers, but for some residents, a lifestyle shift as well.“I like the plastic bags because you can throw garbage in them and tie them up and throw them in the garbage can,” said Dotty, a Gilroy resident who did not want to give her last name.Exiting Safeway on Friday, Dotty’s shopping cart was filled with paper bags, but she said she will start bringing her reusables.“I have my own bags in the car, so I will start using those. I like a bag that you could wash. The ones they are selling for 25 cents are too flimsy.”And while Dotty will happily change her shopping habits, she did not vote for the proposition.“I can’t believe in this, I’m sorry, I just don’t. I didn’t vote for it,” she said. “And this global warming stuff—I don’t believe in that either. I mean, the world changes automatically. That’s the way God made it and it’s not because of me doing something. Even if it was, even if everybody in the United States didn’t use plastic bags, didn’t do this, didn’t do that, it isn’t going to do a darn thing because the other countries are not doing it. You think our air is going to be any cleaner than theirs? No. So it’s just another way to get our money.”According to the Center for Biological Diversity, there was more plastic manufactured in the first decade of the 21st century, than in all the years leading up to 2000, and single-use plastic bags have become a target for those concerned about the level of plastic pollution in the environment.Less than 5 percent of plastic bags are recycled in California, so the majority end up as litter or in landfills and they are not biodegradable. They are made from polyethylene, which takes up to 1,000 years to decompose.It is estimated that 100,000 marine mammals die each year because of plastic litter in the North Pacific, according to marine research organization Algalita. A recent report from UC-Davis found that marine birds are attracted to the smell of plastic and consume the shimmery material, mistaking it for food.   

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN THAT THE PLANNING COMMISSION OF THE CITY OF MORGAN HILL WILL CONDUCT A PUBLIC HEARING ON THE FOLLOWING PROPOSAL(S) AT THE DATE, TIME AND LOCATION LISTED BELOW. ALL INTERESTED PERSONS ARE INVITED TO ATTEND THE HEARING AND PROVIDE COMMENTS.

Although it’s important to focus on physical health, it’s equally vital to take time to work on your mental health. Here are some ways to develop a steely mental resolve.Get movingExercise in any form—whether it’s running, cycling or strength training—releases feel-good chemicals called endorphins. The benefits of exercise are endless, but none is more important than this: it causes more neurons to be formed in the hippocampus, which is a key brain region for learning, memory, and mood regulation, according to a sciencedaily.com article.In addition to creating new brain cells, exercise also helps ward off anxiety and depression. J. Kip Mathews, a doctor and sport/exercise psychologist, explained how exercise helps us to deal with stress in a CNN.com health story: “What appears to be happening is that exercise affords the body an opportunity to practice responding to stress, streamlining the communication between the systems involved in the stress response. The less active we become, the more challenged we are in dealing with stress.”The art of positivitySpeaking of stress, why worry about things we can’t control? Don’t get me wrong, stress in doses is actually beneficial, as it makes us mentally tougher every time we handle and overcome an adverse situation. However, regularly being stressed out is toxic to our mind, body and health.Focusing on the positive—and not dwelling on the negative—will go a long way toward handling stress and dealing with it in a productive manner. For those who are more process-oriented, it helps to journal about a situation. This is one form of mindfulness, which helps a person cope with difficult thoughts and emotions, according to a USNews.com health article.Surrounding yourself with people who provide support and finding a social group with interests similar to your own are also critical to establishing positive emotions and boosting mood.Get to bed—nowWhen it comes to optimal mental health, getting a good night’s rest is paramount. Poor sleep plays havoc on the brain in a number of ways. Ever notice you’re a little more irritable, cranky and liable to snap at a moment’s notice during a state of exhaustion? That’s because sleep affects our emotional state, while also regulating our decision-making, memories and our cognitive skills.So if you’re not getting the recommended seven to eight hours of sleep a night, power off all electronics, turn off the lights and make sleep a priority—your mental health depends on it.