ESB June Meeting: The ban has FAILED!

Well, the ESB meeting was a doooozey, but not a hootenanny this time.  Seriously, three hours.  THREE hours on this one issue.

Mark Jones from the Sierra Club presented, and spoke about leadership and lots of other lofty things.  He felt that if the County exercised leadership, that people would adapt.  The problem with this is that many of us, do not trust the leadership of this town and where it is headed.

I also presented.  See my presentation HERE.

The discussion turned to a survey the ESB conducted with all the businesses in town.  This was very frustrating, as it seemed like the different board members presented their questions in different ways.  One member was given wildly false information from the Smith's Marketplace vs. White Rock Smiths.  There was also a theme from some business owners saying they support a ban and tax, but their customers would be angry if they did not offer bags.  All I can say is businesses are not obligated to offer shopping bags to their customers.  If plastic bags bug them, then don't offer them.  Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and others do not.  Or here is an idea, start teaching your customers to bring their own bags.....(there is more I can say here, but I'm too tired to even think about it right now.)



I was also not clear, at least to me, from the reports from these people what kinds of bags they were talking about with the business people.  Was it point-of-sale/t-shirt bags (the kind you get at Smiths), smaller bags, what thickness of bags, etc.  Again, it would be better to just let businesses decide what to do for themselves.  There was even some confusion from the Chair as to what exactly they were supposed to be discussing right now.

The County liaison shared some information from Friedman Recycling.  Here is what she said:

• They only recycle plastic bags if they have a market for them, (so the County needs to clarify this on their website.)
• Plastic bags are only 1-2% of their waste stream.  (Nationally they are less than 1%.)
• There are problems with the machines jamming up if the bags get in the way. (So take your unused bags to Smith's!)

Then came the fun part ... the motions, the debates, the comments.  Wash, rinse, repeat. 

Some of the board members were disappointed the community was not ready for this -- it looked like one of the ladies was about to cry.  I say, if this is an important issue for the Sierra Club and the League of Women Voters, they need to step up their education efforts.  They claim they did public outreach? Phooey!  With who?  Among their own members, yes, but with the public at large?  NO!  They have don't nothing in the way of education or outreach.  And shame on them for that!   One of the board members talked about looking forward and being progressive about things.  Sorry, to me that is code word for follow the herd.  No thanks.

The Chair felt that there were bigger and better ways to make an environmental impact and achieve the environmental goals of the County.  Make no mistake, we all need to keep our eyes out for the next thing, because there is always a next thing.  They have created an action plan that is waiting on County Council approval that will "accomplish much of what the bag ban tried to do."  I have no idea what that really means, but that scares me, as it will mean more regulation and money out of our pockets.

The vote went as follows to recommend a ban ban and tax:

• Haveman: Yes
• Machin: Yes
• West: No
• Han: Yes
• Terril: No
• Borighter: No.

So because it was a tie, it FAILED!

This is just a battle in the war, however.  This issue will  come back before the County Council and I will need you to write them, to show up to meetings and to pressure them to back off of this.

Thank you for all of your help.  Please join us on Facebook, and don't pack it up yet.  We still have work to do!