GOOD magazine reports that as cities across the country crack down on single-use plastic bags in grocery stores, the campaign against the bags has expanded beyond the checkout aisle and into the produce and meat departments.

The arguments for and against banning the smaller meat and produce bags are simple. On the pro-ban side: Plastic is plastic, whether it's a large single-use shopping bag or a small bag to hold a couple of lemons. It never truly biodegrades, instead breaking down into smaller and smaller bits of plastic (and, eventually, "plastic dust.") On the con side: What are people supposed to do to store messy bulk items like rice and spices? There has to be some way to transport that stuff from market to home. Some say everyone should just add reusable mesh bags to their grocery-carrying arsenal; others argue that's an unrealistic extra burden to expect consumers to bear.

Here in Seattle, the mesh-vs.-plastic debate isn't likely to become an issue any time soon. Seattle's own ban on single-use plastic shopping bags, which kicks in July 1, explicitly exempts produce and meat bags, and a staffer for city council member Mike O'Brien, who sponsored the legislation, says the council has no intention of expanding the ban.