Surfrider Foundation’s Rise Above Plastics Program CA Chapters Conference 2010 Campaign Support for AB1998.

Surfrider Foundation’s Rise Above Plastics Program

CA Chapters Conference 2010

Campaign Support for AB1998

RISE ABOVE PLASTICSMission Statement: “To reduce the impacts of plastics in the marine environment by raising awareness about the dangers of plastic pollution and by advocating for a reduction of single-use plastics and the recycling of all plastics.

Why this is important:

Assembly Bill 1998

• Single-Use Bag Reduction Act (AB 1998) would ban plastic single-use carryout bags and require a 5 cent charge on paper carryout bags at large supermarkets, retail pharmacies, and convenience stores throughout the state

• Aimed to eliminate the distribution of approximately 19 billion plastic bags in California each year; 70,000 picked up on our beaches in one day

AB 1998 Timeline & Partners• In Senate Approps until 8/13; full Senate vote before 8/29• January 1, 2012 – would ban single-use plastic bags from

supermarkets and large retail stores• July 1, 2013 – the ban would spread to smaller retail stores

and reusable bags MUST be made available for purchase• Partners:

• Environment California• Waterkeepers• Heal the Bay• Save the Bay• Clean Water Action• Grocers Association

AB 1998 Advocacy

• Events– Clean Seas Coalition “Lobby Day” Aug 10th – BagIt Movie Screenings

• Long Beach, Santa Barbara, Humboldt, Santa Cruz, South Orange County

– San Francisco Chico Bags Bag Monster Tour, Aug 12th – Beach Clean Ups and Local Press Opportunities

• Targeting Senators– Work within the Clean Seas Coalition to target key votes

and lobbying techniques- “Power players”: Ducheny, Padilla, Steinberg, Strictland

AB 1998 Tools

• Sample support letters from Businesses, City Council, Coastal User Groups, Chambers, etc

• Surfrider Action Alert (on RAP website)• Facebook Ban the Bag page• Postcards• Bill information, analysis, support list, Clean

Seas Coalition resources (sample LTEs)• Ban the Bag t-shirts, mail order for RAP

Plastics On the Horizon• Other Statewide Legislation: HI, OR, NC, FL• Federal Legislation Opportunity? Moran bill• Highlighted Program for SFHQ?• 2011 International Youth

Summit with Algalita

Marine Research Foundation• 5 Gyres

Expedition to Remaining Gyres