We, the undersigned residents, respectfully request that the City and County of Mendocino move toward eliminating the use of non-degradable plastic bags in our county through either a fee imposed on consumers or an outright ban on these toxic and insidious bags.
Petroleum based plastic bags represent one of the greatest environmental catastrophes of our time. It is estimated that 60-80% of all debris in the ocean is plastic. Plastics take hundreds of years to break down into smaller pieces and most types never truly biodegrade. As a result, marine animals often get entangled in the debris or mistake it for food, thereby bio-accumulating the toxic chemicals which have been proven to be carcinogenic and to alter human hormonal systems.
Approximately 100 billion petroleum-based plastic checkout bags are used each year in the United States, requiring an estimated yearly 12 million barrels of oil. A ban on plastic bags would help preserve the integrity of our local ecosystems, reduce the burden on landfills, and reduce litter in our marine and riparian systems while reducing the toxic load that humans and animals are exposed to.
For these and other reasons we, the undersigned residents, support a consumer bag fee or ban on non-degradable plastic bags in the town of Mendocino, and ultimately the entirety of the county. Such an ordinance is needed to prevent marine debris, save money, preserve human and environmental health and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Many other cities and businesses are setting cutting-edge precedents, including San Francisco, Oakland and Whole Foods, by recently adopting fees and/or bans on plastic bags.
There are many alternatives out there, such as reusable cloth bags, bags made from recycled products, bags made from starches, biodegradable polymer and other renewable resources. Our group is committed to providing education and support to local businesses and residents to make this change a smooth and sustainable one.
We thank our local residents and policy makers for their time on this and hope we can quickly and effectively mobilize this change here in Mendocino County.
Sincerely,
