Will You Join Me?

I’ve been a long-time fan of reusable bags and a recent excursion to San Francisco was a real eye-opener in that my experience while there demonstrated just what can be done to eliminate plastic bags and other waste, and implement recycling on a large community scale.

Of major notice was the lack of those plastic convenient carriers freely distributed to shoppers at grocers and drug stores, convenience, discount and department stores. These crinkly, pesky intruders, still used in Tucson and nearly every other city across America, can later be found dotting the landscapes even in the most remote of locations, picked up by a gust of wind, left hanging from trees and attaching themselves to tumbleweeds, fences and roadside signs.

Eliminating trash is top of mind for San Franciscans and everything down to the straw from their soda drink to the coffee cup collar on their favorite hot brew is sorted and reused by way of recycling and composting in one of the nation’s largest cities. Everyone, resident and tourist alike, are urged to carry reusable bags. And if not, they shell out one dime for each plastic bag used for purchases.

Laws and ordinances in effect since 2007 have banned plastic bags and implemented the 10-cent charge for all bags handed out by stores. These same laws and ordinances, varying between municipalities, have since extended to restaurants as well. The San Francisco Environmental Department is extremely pleased with the initiatives, citing the end to what was more than 1 million single-use plastic bags winding up in the Bay annually, and stopping litter before it flowed into creeks, choked wetlands and harmed wildlife.

I’d love to see Tucsonans follow the examples set by San Francisco by eliminating the use of plastic bags and adding reusable bags to their shopping list before plastic blankets our beautiful desert, adds to pollution and hinders the preservation and propagation of wildlife and plants.

In the coming weeks we will be launching our plan to help rid Tucson and Southern Arizona of these pesky plastic bags!

I’m “Who’s Green?”… won’t you join me in this effort?

Priscilla Sheridan
Founder
Who’s Green?