a black plastic bag flies high above Valley Place
What's going on:
Council member Tommy Wells just introduced legislation this morning highlighting a new way to clean up the Anacostia River: charge 5 cents for every paper and plastic bag distributed by restaurant, take-out, grocery, and corner store establishments.Why should I care:
Sound crazy? This kind of program has seriously reduced bag pollution in cities like New York, San Francisco, and Seattle.
Because we all want a cleaner place to live and play. In the streams leading into the Anacostia River, nearly 50% of the trash (sad there is even any) is bags. Considering the fact that 20,000 tons of trash enters the Anacostia each year, this is a total emergency.How can I help:
Not to mention that so much of the litter on our own neighborhood streets is bags - mostly the small black plastic variety. And in this bill, those and every other non-recyclable bag would be completely banned.
1. Sign the Petition at www.TrashFreeAnacostia.comFor additional information, check out the Post's article on the proposed legislation.
2. B.Y.O.Bag. (they sell reusable bags at every major grocery store), or just opt out of bags altogether.
3. Smile. You are a difference-maker.
photo by DG-rad
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3 comments:
There are more trash bags than people in Anacostia. This is a a great mission. I think people need to become aware of how much plastic bags destroy the earth as well as pay attention to how it impacts landscape of our community.
part of the problem, as i see it, is that the law requires you to carry your alcohol purchase out of the store in a bag. when i buy a six-pack of beer, it has a handle, and i could easily carry that home by itself, but i'm not allowed.
maybe DC should lose the stigma about carrying around alcohol. it doesn't make you a "sinner" (which i'm sure was the reasoning behind the law from the beginning).
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