Wednesday, November 23, 2011

San Francisco Ocean Beach Master Plan Comments and Update on Plastic Bag Ban

The Draft San Francisco Ocean Beach Master Plan has been extended until today (Wed., 11/23) at 5pm. Please review the plan and submit your comments at http://www.spur.org/ocean-beach. We can only make the beach better if we participate in the process.

Update on the San Francisco plastic bag ban expansion: Yesterday, the Board of Supervisors voted to add amendments to the proposal and the new date for the vote is December 6, 2011. Please be sure to contact the Board of Supervisors whether you're a resident or visitor in support of the plastic bag ban and new fees for reusable bags when you don't bring your own bag.

Email the Board of Supervisors: Board.of.Supervisors@sfgov.org

Contact Mayor Lee and ask him to pass this law: http://sfmayor.org/index.aspx?page=7

Monday, November 21, 2011

Please support San Francisco's Plastic Bag Ban and Fee Proposal

Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi introduced a proposal to expand San Francisco's ban on single-use plastic bags in San Francisco. We need your support to counter the "Plastic Bag Bullies" who want to prevent cities and states from improving environmental quality and protecting ocean health.

The proposal would "extend the restrictions on checkout bags from supermarkets and chain pharmacies to all retail establishments and food establishments in the City and County of San Francisco." The new ban would "require stores to add a checkout bag charge of 10 cents, rising to 25 cents, if they provide a customer with a checkout bag" and those fees would start July 1, 2012.

Contact Mayor Lee's office and ask him to support the bag ban and fee proposal for San Francisco! http://sfmayor.org/index.aspx?page=7 Mayor Lee has stated that he is undecided so he needs to hear from San Francisco residents and visitors that we want this bag ban to grow.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors will vote tomorrow. Please contact them with your support. Email them your comments: Board.of.Supervisors@sfgov.org

If you're available, please come to testify in support of the proposed ban and fees for bags. The board will vote after 2PM tomorrow (Tuesday, 11/22) in the main chambers at City Hall.

San Francisco needs this bag ban! Other countries and cities have dramatically reduced single-use plastic and it's time for San Francisco to catch up. Our oceans deserve to be healthier and anything we can do to reduce plastic marine debris will help.