Help stop climate change!
Join DC Audubon, Anacostia Watershed Society [1], Friends of Rock Creek's Environment [2], and Friends of Kingman Park in banning plastic bags from DC!
We have all seen plastic bags stuck in trees and water while birding in DC. The bags are not only eyesores, but are major contributors to climate change. Large amounts of carbon dioxide are released during the manufacture, transportation, and disposal of plastic bags.
Introduced 25 years ago, plastic bags are now consumed at an astounding rate of approximately 500 billion per year globally, or 1 million per minute. An estimated 5 billion bags end up as windblown litter each year. These bags that take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade often end up in waterways or the landscape, eventually degrading water and soil as they break down into tiny toxic bits.
In March 2007, San Francisco became the first US city to ban plastic bags from large supermarkets. Under the legislation, large markets and pharmacies will have the option of using biodegradable bags made of cornstarch or bags made of recyclable paper or reusable cloth.
Let’s be at the forefront of this movement and become the second US city to ban plastic bags and reduce its impact on climate change!
Similar legislation has been successful in countries and cities around the world. The Irish government introduced a plastic bag tax (PlasTax) last year that has slashed consumption over 90% and raised $9.6 million for environmental and waste management projects. Tanzania, South Africa, Taiwan, Singapore, Bangladesh, Zanzibar, and Rwanda have all banned or are moving towards banning plastic bags.
What can we do? It's easy!
Sign our petition. Or better yet-- print out our form letter and send to Mayor Fenty. (Check our Take Action [2] page for contact information.)
Click on the following:
- Online petition [2]
- Form letter to Mayor Fenty [2]
- Form letter to Councilman Jim Graham [2]
For more information, please click on the following link: BYOB Bring your own bags! [3]
For information on other U.S. cities considering a ban, please click on the following links:
- Boston [4]
- Berkeley [5]
- Portland, OR [6]
- Santa Cruz, CA [7]
- Los Angeles [8]
- New York state [9]