“Is It Time to Bag the Plastic?” reads the headline of a bag ban article in Sunday’s NY Times. The piece provides a snapshot of different plastic bag ordinances across the country. The timing is spot on for us in California – a statewide bag ban is one week away from a critical vote in the State Senate. With 14 billion plastic bags used annually in California, the stakes are high. SB 405 (Padilla) would tie together the patchwork of 75 local ordinances already in place, and reduce the $100 million of taxpayer’s money spent annually in the state on plastic bag litter. In past legislative cycles, similar bills did not make it past the vote that SB 405 will soon face. Voice your support for SB 405 by signing this online petition, and sharing with your fellow Californians. Meanwhile, the Ecology Center’s June event series includes lots of resources to reduce plastic in your life, including plastic bags. Check out this workshop, and this plastic-free craft and info swap in particular.
[Photo by Heal the Bay on Flickr]
