[Summit] Plastic Bags

[Greg Gerritt]

I recently joined the Zero Wste committee, and we are planning a large
education roll out along with the large scale distribution of reuseable
bags and bag exhanges. And more.  When it passes we have an entire year to
roll it out. Then get ready for no more food scrap in the trash.  It swill
take us 5 years, but start thinking out ity now.  It has a very large
greenlhouse gas footprint when you stick it in the landfill instead of
composting it and returning it to the soil.  UN said wer have 60 years of
topsoil left on planet earth, so we need to start building more really
fast.   greg

On 3/28/18, 5:34 PM, "Gayle Gifford" <gayle at ceffect.com> wrote:

>I'm not happy that the Mayor vetoed this bill as it was not new to him
>and I'd be very surprised that his own sustainability staff didn't work
>on this. 
>
>As Greg said, around the world, in communities rich and poor, folks
>reuse. Our throw it away plastic culture is helping to kill species
>diversity on this planet.   Those 3 Rs are in priority order: Reduce
>first, Reuse 2nd, Recycle 3rd.  https://storyofstuff.org/
>
>There is a lot of learning about behavioral change on how to move people
>from contemplation to action to maintaining a new behavior. Education is
>only one part of it. Skills building is a part. And putting in place
>systems-wide changes that move more people to action and maintain the
>desired behavior are important aspects of change.  This approach has
>worked to reduce the number of smokers and it has made smoking around
>other people in the US a big no-no.
>
>I'm wondering what attempts, if any, were made to find ways to purchase
>and distribute low cost, light weight  re-usable bags for those who can't
>afford them. And for those of us who have too many to share them. Or to
>put that extra 10c on our purchase to support another family. I'm
>guessing our grocery stores and other stores will save a lot of money
>when their bag costs (plastic and paper) have been cut dramatically.
>
>There is a lot more we can do that benefit us all. We should have a pay
>as you throw fee in Providence. The increase in fees at the landfill will
>cost the city another $400,000 this year.
>https://www.ecori.org/composting/2017/5/18/providence-steps-up-waste-reduc
>tion-efforts-as-landfill-raises-tipping-fees.
>
>IMHO.
>Gayle Gifford
>
>
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