Tag Archive for BYOB campaign

A Bag Law We Just Can’t Support

You may have heard the Village of Atlantic Beach, NY passed an anti-plastic-bag law last week.

You might be surprised to hear we are not cheering. It calls for a ban on all except “biodegradable” checkout bags.

We’re sure the Village are well intended. It sounds great… except there is actually no such thing as biodegradable plastic, at least not as you might reasonably expect the word “biodegradable” to mean

This will cause more problems than it solves.

We honor the heartfelt campaign from locals Kevin Kelley and others for a fee or ban on all checkout bags. This “bio” option sounds good on the surface, until you think it through. You then realize it creates unintended consequences and eliminates little single use waste from going into our environment.

Why isn’t it good policy?

Merchants complying with it who care about the viability of, or prefer to avoid confrontation over “biodegradable” plastic bags will likely go to paper, which is worse for the environment overall, except that it biodegrades. It leaves them few good options and puts the problem on them.

Paper will bring merchants’ cost for a bag from 2-3 cents to 12-25 cents. These costs will be passed on to everyone, drastically increasing the current >hidden< bag tax. All shoppers pay, so some can take bags they’re going to throw away.

Increasing merchant costs like this creates financial incentive to not comply with the law. Instead, had they instituted a fee it would reimburse them ONLY for bags used, which people pay for as they take them. Capitalists used to call this “purchasing them” which is what happens under a mandatory fee for all bags. No one loses their freedom of choice. Some devout capitalists insist they’re entitled to a “free” bag everyone else pays for- go figure! The fee simply covers the merchant’s costs of storing and supplying the bag and administering the process as a partner in making a cleaner environment. To make it their problem is bad policy.

From our laypersons “legal” view, based on policy and what hasn’t worked elsewhere, this law provides no definition of “biodegradeable” which the Federal Trade Commission says cannot be used to market plastic materials. At best, it invites debate at the point of sale, skirting the law on the grounds of free speech as to what one might assert “biodegradable” means, or at worst, lawsuits from vested industry interests a small village may not withstand that would vacate the law and cost them to fight.

Bio-debateable.

I’m sure when you hear “biodegradable” any rational person would think that means it just “poof” melts(?) away and harmlessly disappears? Reality is, it just doesn’t. It’s greenwashing to present it as harmless or as a solution to plastic pollution.

From plasticbaglaws.org this week:

According to the FTC, the term #biodegradable can’t be used to market #plastic. It’s inherently misleading to customers because it has no commonly accepted test or definition. #Amazon⁠⁠ just settled a lawsuit & will stop selling those bags. #greenwashing☹️

https://resource-recycling.com/plastics/2018/08/15/amazon-settles-biodegradable-claims-case/

Key things to think about “biodegradable”:

  • How long does that breakdown take?
  • Where does that bag go during that time?
  • If it’s fast, or when it gets wet, what happens to a bag full of groceries in the rain?
  • What does it require the user to do (ie: bring to a special biodegrading facility)?
  • Must bag users separately sort it for a special “bio /composting” pickup (which our municipalities do not have)?
  • Will they just be thrown out if included in recycling? (yes)
  • Does it break down in landfill or must it be exposed to air, sun, and/or water (and blow around in the meantime? -most need that). What are you supposed to do, put them on a clothes line to turn into goo?
  • “..’bio-plastics’ fail to fully biodegrade in the natural environment, as they require processing by an industrial composting facility. A study by the 5 Gyres Institute that tested biodegradability in aquatic conditions shows that bio-plastic straws made from PLA (a plant-based plastic) did not substantially degrade in a 24-month time period at sea” (5Gyres, 2017). https://static1.squarespace.com/static/5522e85be4b0b65a7c78ac96/t/5acbd346562fa79982b268fc/1523307375028/5Gyres_BANlist2.pdf

The Solution

Once you realize there is no “away”, you cannot really solve any of those problems with a “throwaway” bag of another material. So the best policy also reduces non-plastic alternatives as well, and the solution pushes towards that goal. A fee or ban or both on ALL bags is key to promote the goal: to remove the opportunity for needless items to become pollution and for everyone to bring your own bag, instead.

The Village seem to have their heart in the right place. They also seem to have simultaneously ignored what nearly every environmental organization or good public policy group proposes based on what works elsewhere, sound policy, and scientific data. It concerns us why they came up with this novel idea instead. Is there a new “biodegradable bag lobby” or companies pitching this “solution” to municipalities without discussing all the issues involved? We hope not.

Of course, you can avoid all this yourself. Just bring your own bag Atlantic Beach – we know you got this!!

And the rest of you, too!

Bag It – South Hempstead June 13, 2018

Bag It S. Hempstead
The South Hempstead Civic Association hosts All Our Energy’s Bring Your Own Bag Nassau campaign for a free public screening of the light-hearted and funny, award-winning film Bag It. Come find out of your life is too plastic (hint- it totally is!)

South Hempstead Firehouse
555 May St,
South Hempstead, NY 11550

RSVP: https://www.facebook.com/events/939462472881755/

Checkout Bag Bill Proposed in Nassau Legislature

 

Bag legislation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the proposed Nassau checkout bag legislation being kept from even being discussed at the county legislature, our team joined other groups to speak out to let the issue be heard.
So proud 6 volunteers from the All Our Energy team went to speak! Thanks to Susan, Joanne, Karin, Shelley,Lori,Leslie and Mara!

Thanks To Sea Cliff Village Trustee Epstein for joining us, too!

Click these links for the reports about that

News 12
Newsday
Hear what everyone said at this link for the video of the mtg:  http://nassaucountyny.iqm2.com/Citizens/Default.aspx

Village Hall Meeting at Sea Cliff Dec. 11, 2017

Our Sea Cliff team made great strides last week, speaking at Village Hall. The Village of Sea Cliff is VERY interested in eliminating checkout bag pollution.

We will be screening Bag It in conjunction with the Village on January 25. Stay tuned for more details.

Village of Sea Cliff Board Meeting Scheduled Dec.11, 2017

Due to snowy conditions on the ground, our Sunday 12/10/17 Sea Cliff “It’s Cool to Care: A Groovy Community Clean Up Walk for the Environment” is postponed. New date coming soon….

BUT…

We are mobilizing our Sea Cliff Team and supporters to attend the December 11, Monday Night Village of Sea Cliff Board Meeting to show support for action on eliminating needless single use bags and becoming a reusable bag culture.

You should join us!
Be there at 7pm, Sea Cliff Village hall,
300 Sea Cliff Ave, Sea Cliff, NY 11579.

Sea Cliff Reusable Bag Campaign November 2017

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Our Sea Cliff reusable bag campaign team have been super active, getting school-wide screenings of Bag It shown this week, preparing for our first local beach clean up, involving local officials, producing some major art and educational efforts, like these Groovy Solutions showing you already have many plastic bags every week you CANNOT avoid, that you can reuse, and that you probably don’t need single use shopping bags for pet waste. Thanks to Lorraine, John, Lori, Laura, Leslie, Amy, Amy, Judy, Kate, and everyone else making change!
We work with some amazing organizations who are making change, too! Thanks to Food and Water Watch, Move Forward LI, Sane Energy Project, NY Communities for Change, NYPIRG, and many others working for a just transition to a renewable energy economy.

Bag It Screening at Glen Head Nov. 13, 2017

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Thanks to everyone who came to see Bag It at Grassroots in Glen Head! Wow, what a motivated group- lets get this done!!
So many upcoming events, and the Sea Cliff team is really making huge strides getting the message out!
Thanks to Rob and Amy of Grassroots for hosting and donating to the campaign!

Screening of Bag It in Glen Head Nov. 13, 2017

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Join us for a screening of the award winning movie “Bag It” and learn about plastic pollution and your part in stopping it.

Date:Monday, November 13, 2017
Time:7pm
Where:Grassroots Naturally Delicious
AD: 671 Glen Cove Ave, Glen Head, NY 11545

In the film, Jeb Berrier, a regular American man, makes a pledge to stop using plastic bags at the grocery store and has his life completely changed. Take the journey with Jeb and find out if your life is too plastic.

Bring your own reusable drink container for refreshments!

BYOB Sea Cliff Reusable Bag October 2017

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Did you see the beautiful Sea Cliff artwork by local artist Lori Pappas featured on our “Bring Your Own Bag Sea Cliff” reusable bag? Don’t you just love that mermaid??!!

Support our campaign with an $18 donation (or 2 for $30) and get a high-quality, grocery size, washable, foldable, reusable bag. Proceeds help expand our public education campaign to eliminate needless single use “throwaway” bag pollution. Each time you use it, you do that, and you show your support to become a reusable bag society.
It folds up into that little package that makes bringing it everywhere a breeze, so you can always avoid needless single use plastic pollution!
Email me at george@allourenergy.com to get yours.

Have you signed the petition yet? Go to bit.ly/seacliffbags

Thank you for your support!

Sea Cliff’s Annual “Minimart” Festival October 2017

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As part of our continuing efforts to eliminate needless single use bags, we were busy this weekend!

At Sea Cliff’s Annual “Minimart” town-wide street festival, our volunteers collected over 600 signatures for our petition asking The Village of Sea Cliff to become a reusable bag culture.

We also launched sales of our reusable bag fundraiser with A-mazing Sea-Cliff-Centric art By Lori Pappas. Of course, anyone may donate for these high quality, shopping size, machine washable reusable bags that fold right up into a little pouch so you never have to forget your bag again!

Thanks to our team – Lori, Tina, Karen, Lorraine, John, Amy, Joan, Neda, Iris, and Joanne for helping make such a big impact, meeting so many new friends, and getting word out!

Also – a big thank you to Tracy from The Creative Arts Studio of Sea Cliff for hosting us and putting us on the map!!

Have you signed the petition yet? Go to bit.ly/seacliffbags