Anti-Plastics Campaign

Two years ago, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors approved groundbreaking legislation to outlaw plastic checkout bags at large supermarkets and large chain pharmacies.  The time table called for a ban on all plastic bags within a years time.

For half a century, plastic bags have consumed the world of consumerism.  Over the years, these bags have filled landfills and blown into our waterways often times killing marine life.

Thankfully, other cities and even countries have followed suit.  China for example, has banned plastic bags throughout the entire country.  This movement is not just an environmental one.  It makes sense… dollars and cents.  China will save 37 million barrels of crude oil every year by banning plastic bags.

Surfrider Foundation has launced the Rise Above Plastics campaign in an attempt to encourage local Surfrider chapters to push their local communities to “rise above plastics.”  As a part of the effort, Charleston Waterkeeper is partnering up with the Charleston Surfrider chapter to push our local community to first, see the effects of plastics on our marine life, and second to encourage our community to choose alternatives over harmful and unnecessary plastics (such as grocery bags).  We will be hosting a beach sweep on May 30 at Folly Beach with a party to follow.

Check out the video our friends out west at Save The Bay have produced about the plastic bag problem…