June 14, 2010

Story by Sarah Wigginton

A quirky scene unfolded in Council today as swarms of "Ban the Bag" activists filled the chamber. They sported blue t-shirts, carried reusable grocery bags and were accompanied by a troop of plastic bag 'monsters.'

Four speakers addressed the Council with concerns about the harmful effects of plastic bags on our natural environment. One speaker, Stiv Wilson, Communications Director at the Five Gyres Institute, estimates that somewhere between 200-300 billion pounds of plastic are presently circulating in the world's oceans. In response to shocking statistics like this one, many grassroots organizations have sprung up to encourage plastic bag fees or bans at all levels. The Ban the Bag organization is asking the City and the state to either ban plastic bags or impose a fee for their purchase.

Both the City and our State legislators are looking to enact a ban. For more information on the Ban the Bag campaign, visit www.banthebagspdx.com.

Above: Bag monsters!