The one-use plastic bags that shoppers get at grocery stores and other retails shops may soon become a thing of the past in Washington state.

And that’s a very good thing for the environment, though it’s going to cause consternation among forgetful folks.

Some Democratic state lawmakers recently proposed a bill that would prohibit the ubiquitous plastic bags that are stuffed into cabinets all over the Pacific Northwest, and would require a charge of 10 cents on all paper carryout bags.

More paper bags will be a big win for cats in the state. But, of course, the lawmakers’ motivation is to encourage people to bring reusable bags with them to the store.

It’s not a new idea. California and 19 cities in Washington state already have plastic bag bans in place.

The prohibitions didn’t cause the sky to fall or disrupt shopping much at all in those places.

In addition, some chains are discontinuing the use of plastic bags on their own, which saves them money. Costco and other warehouse stores never felt the need for plastic bags in the first place.

A study of the environmental impact of plastic-bag bans found that cotton totes may be just as bad or worse, however, when it comes to a carbon footprint. A lot of fossil fuels are used to grow and process cotton.

One solution is for people to use reusable bags made from recycled plastic, which are easy to find. Perhaps the state could help promote them.

Beyond the effect on carbon emissions, a bag ban will mean less plastic in landfill and floating around in the oceans. Many people will undoubtedly miss the convenience of the bags for lining trash cans or picking up dog poop or myriad other uses.

It’s apparent that one-use plastic bags are on their way out, one way or another. Washington state should be a leader in the effort to hasten their demise, but should reevaluate charging consumers for paper bags.

Plastic straws, however, might be another matter.