Join In & Sack the Plastic Bag in Baltimore
It’s a fact: plastic bags are a major source of trash in Baltimore’s rivers and in the Baltimore Harbor.
According to various estimates, plastic bags are the second most common trash pollutant making up 10% of total trash and 50% of all plastic trash.
Thankfully, the Baltimore City Council is working to address this problem.
They are proposing a 10¢ fee on certain single-use paper and plastic bags, a measure that is sure to help clean up our waterways.
This legislation will:
- Reduce trash pollution in Baltimore’s neighborhoods and waterways. Plastic bag use could drop 60% or more.
- Save retailers money by not having to buy as many bags to give away. A single shop owner could save upwards of $1,000 per year.
- Save consumers money when they avoid the hidden cost of “free” bags in higher prices. The average Baltimore consumer spends up to $37.50 each year in hidden bag costs.
- Create green jobs by giving the city valuable funds for community investments such as parks maintenance, neighborhood greening, and polluted runoff improvements.
- Distribute hundreds of thousands of free cloth bags to those in need.
Learn more by downloading our one-page fact sheet. [PDF]
But chemical companies and their lobbyists are sure to resist this greening effort, so:
Please call your council member TODAY and say you support Bill #13-0241 for a trash free Baltimore.
Find your member’s phone number here:http://cityservices.baltimorecity.gov/citycouncil/
