Plastic Bag Bans Matter! Here’s How to Start a Bag Ban in Your Community
Help the Planet Starting with Your Community by Starting a Plastic Bag Ban!
Single-use plastic bag bans are becoming more common and sought after by communities and states like California that want to protect our environment. Plastic bag bans allow communities to prevent litter, and the resulting harm and costs caused by litter and its clean up.
Even as some states are looking to limit or ban plastic bag bans, there is still a very strong movement and increased interest in plastic bag bans. Have you thought about starting a bag ban in your hometown? We’ve outlined the steps to starting a plastic ban ban in your community, but here are some more tips to help you implement plastic bag bans.
Learn About the Bag Ban Movement
From plastic bag bans that cover cities, counties, and even entire states, to fees levied on paper or plastic bags and increased outreach around recycling, there are a lot of ways to reduce disposable plastic bag use.
For many years, we have been tracking the movement of bans worldwide on our interactive map of plastic bag bans. This resource tracks the success stories, as well as the near misses. If you are interested in implementing plastic bag bans take a look at the map.
You may be able to model your plan after bans that have been successfully implemented, but you can also learn from areas that did not reach their goal; or you can become inspired by communities that tried multiple times before succeeding in passing their ban.
Get Your Community on Board
One person cannot pass a bag ban on their own. You will need the help of your community if you want to make a plastic bag ban a reality. If you can get local businesses, particularly the businesses that will be impacted by the ban, to support your cause all the better.
Work with local retailers and discuss ways to encourage shoppers to make the switch and how to help remind people in your community to bring their reusable bags when the shop. Find ways to keep everyone involved and engaged.
You will certainly want to work with officials and take the proper legal steps to starting a ban, but there’s so much more you can do. Organize clean up efforts in local parks and public areas. If there are already groups that handle clean up efforts see if you and your supports can lend a hand.
Involve the Media
Social media can be an invaluable tool when it comes to getting everyone connected and aware of what you are trying to do. This is a platform to let people know why disposable plastic bags are a problem and how a ban works as a solution.
Create a Facebook page and I would certainly suggest also creating an Instagram account and invite everyone you know. Then post about all of your efforts and invite people to get involved.
Make sure to reach out members of your local media and keep them involved in what you have accomplished and what is coming up.
It’s Time to Get Started
Good luck and remember it is not only citizens that can make a positive environmental impact. Any business can be a part of creating positive, environmental change regardless of existing plastic bag bans in the community.
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