BUFFALO, N.Y. — Western New Yorkers know, in just a year's time, the way many of us shop will be different.
That's when the plastic bag ban goes into effect. Along with the ban, paper bags will also come with an additional fee.
Assemblyman Pat Burke took to Twitter to announce his plan to hopefully ease the transition.
"I'm starting a reusable bag drive in order to make reusable bags more accessible to people. If you have bags sitting in your trunk or a closet in your house that you never use, drop them off at my office at 1074 Union Road," said Burke.
The hope is that once plastic bags are banned from local grocery stores, people who might not have the means to purchase reusable, sturdier bags can find them free of charge at the assemblyman's office.
Burke explained, "That would be the clearest way of trying to get reusable bags in the hands of people who will have to use them but don't have extra money and then also just the environmental concern of utilizing the resources we already have."
The bag drive begins on Monday and for the time being, it lasts through the month.
However, Burke told 2 on Your Side if they're successful they'll keep it going as long as people need them.
"For now it's just our office in West Seneca but we're hoping to get some more partners in this, maybe some more elected officials, some businesses," said Burke.
Burke believes the ban is just one step towards fixing a larger problem of pollution in the community.