The plastic bag's stranglehold on American stores around the country just received its first blow. In what will be a first for the nation if fully passed, San Francisco's Board of Supervisors today voted 10-1 to prohibit petroleum-based checkout bags in large markets and pharmacies.

Such a move would usher in the use of eco-friendly alternatives; biodegradable plastic or recycled paper bags. The legislation (which still needs one more vote to pass) would take effect within six months for San Fran's 50 markets — and 12 months for big-chain drugstores like Rite-Aid.

This is a welcome move. Although only introduced to our shopping culture 25 years ago, the plastic bag has waged hell on our environment. Between 500 billion-1 trillion are used each year worldwide. The largest problem is that they are not biodegradable, only photodegradable. In other words, they break down into smaller and smaller pieces of the same material — but only if exposed to sunlight. Animals choke on them, sea life becomes entangled — in the ocean, it's been reported that there are two islands of plastic bags each the size of Texas. Yikes.

Each city bears the burden of not only the environmental impact, but also the disposal of plastic bags. San Francisco alone spends $8.5 million a year on disposal. So, the city (and the country) are ready for a change. The new alternatives, made from corn by-products, have markets in San Fran nervous over costs, durability, and quality. Like any shift, however, it's time to stop whining and move forward with the new rules. On the flip side, corn farmers have another potential windfall in their sights. San Francisco may only be the beginning of a massive national sweep. If more corn-based bags are needed, what will this do to the price of food? Agriculture experts are already concerned over ethanol's effect on production in the U.S.

If anything, the lesson here is try and bring your own reuseable bag to the grocery store when possible. While these latest shifts are encouraging, consuming less by reusing items should not be lost in our quest for a new grocery bag. For the sake of the environment, however, let's hope San Francisco's commitment inspires others to follow suit.