At the SA Senate meeting, it was proposed that the University Administration and Village Market management charge a fee for single-use plastic bags at checkout. We have some big problems with this idea that need to be fixed before anything happens.

Here are the issues we see:

* It hurts students in the wallet. A lot of us are already struggling to pay for tuition, rent, and everyday expenses. Adding a fee for each bag, no matter how small, is a cost students never had a chance to discuss before it was proposed.

* It will not really make a difference. Arianne Milosavljević, Student Senate Social Committee Chair, mentioned during the SA Senate meeting that small bag fees do not usually change people's behavior for long. We would be paying money without actually solving the problem.

* The students were never asked. Any idea that affects students and their money should involve students from the start, not after the decision has already been made.

What we wish:
We want the SA Senate to vote against sending this idea to the administration now. If the Senate really cares about sustainability, we are happy to talk about it. It should be open to the whole campus and developed with students, not forced on them. We want the SA Senate to work with students to find a solution that includes everyone, not just Village Market shoppers. The SA Senate should listen to the students. Come up with a plan that really works and that is fair to everyone. Let's pursue solutions that don't come at students' expense.

The discussion was tabled, which means there's still time. Sign now and share with every SAU student you know. The next SA meeting could be the deciding one.