NBC's Williams Touts L.A. Banning Plastic Bags As Effort to Keep Them 'Out of the Natural World'

On Thursday's NBC Nightly News, anchor Brian Williams announced: "Los Angeles is about to become the third big city in California to ban plastic grocery bags." He then framed the government overreach as a green crusade: "Environmental activists, as you know, have been pushing for this, to keep those bags out of the ocean and out of the natural world."

In May of 2007, Williams absurdly claimed that grocery shoppers were forced to answer a “paralyzing question” which “can make otherwise competent adults quake with fear" when faced with the dreaded choice between "paper or plastic." He added that customers "are made to feel like the fate of the planet hinges on our decision."

On Thursday, Williams explained that the fear-inducing bags would "be phased out over the next 16 months" in L.A. and noted: "Shoppers will have the option to buy paper bags for 10 cents each."

Here is a transcript of the May 24 report:

7:22PM ET

BRIAN WILLIAMS: Los Angeles is about to become the third big city in California to ban plastic grocery bags. They'll follow San Francisco, Santa Monica. They'll be phased out over the next 16 months. Shoppers will have the option to buy paper bags for 10 cents each. Environmental activists, as you know, have been pushing for this, to keep those bags out of the ocean and out of the natural world.