Updated: September 01, 2010

In California, lawmakers rejected a bill that would forever change the question "Paper or plastic?" by banning plastic shopping bags. The measure, titled AB 1998, passed in the State Assembly in June and was supported by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Despite this, the proposed law stirred a contentious debate because some believed the state was going too far in trying to regulate personal choice and the law would eliminate jobs at plastic bag factories.

"I think we missed a great opportunity," said the measure's author, Julia Brownley (D- Santa Monica) in a report by the Los Angeles Times. Had the law passed, California would have been the first state to pass a plastic bag ban, but some are saying there was a heavily financed campaign from plastic bag manufacturers who believed the bill to be a job killer.

Though this new law failed in California, many cities across the globe are banning plastic bags, from San Francisco, to Mumbai in India. In fact, many cities and states have banned plastic bags in India. Even Mexico City, which has a population the size of the state of California, has banned the bags.

Some studies show that California uses 19 billion plastic bags a year, most of which are not recycled. Given the impact on the environment and your right to make personal choices, do you think plastic bags should be banned?