The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to prohibit plastic shopping bags in stores, beginning July 1, 2010. Customers will have the option of either bringing their own bags, or paying 25 cents for a paper or biodegradable bag.

This city regulation is intended to pressure state politicians who are considering a Bill to eliminate plastic bags all across the state by 2012.

The goal is to rid the city of some 2.3 billion non-biodegradable plastic bags that are distributed each year and end up polluting waste dumps.

The ban will reduce cleanup costs for the city and reduce trash that collects in storm drains and the Los Angeles River. Of the more than 2 billion plastic bags used annually in L.A., only about 5 % are recycled and only about 21 % of paper bags used are recycled in California.

Several countries have already adopted laws banning plastic bags, which often end up killing animals that swallow or get caught up in them. Last year, San Francisco passed the nation’s first bag ban, which took effect in November.

Los Angeles shoppers, start collecting your eco-friendly cloth bags, because you won’t be hearing “Paper or plastic?” at the checkout line in the coming future!