Earth Protect Blog

So we don't ask for much. Just one a day a year can everyone not use a plastic bag. Why? Well because its "A Day Without A Bag"!

Our holiday gift to the environment! Join tens of thousands of shoppers statewide in giving up disposable bags in favor of reusable sacks. Take the pledge to make everyday a day without a single-use bag.

A Day Without a Bag is an education and grassroots event coordinated by Heal the Bay that involves businesses and individuals throughout the state of California. On this day we ask holiday shoppers and retailers to forgo single-use, plastic shopping bags in favor of reusable bags. It’s our hope that this one day of action will encourage people to go bag-free throughout 2011.

Held the third Thursday in December, Heal the Bay’s third annual A Day Without a Bag will be December 16, 2010 when Southland shoppers will receive an early holiday present, courtesy of a giveaway of nearly 20,000 reusable bags at more than 50 Giveaway Locations throughout Los Angeles County. In addition, a Day Without a Bag Summit will take place on December 15th in order to help Southland cities make plans to reduce single use bag consumption in their own communities.

Education and Awareness

A unique coalition of major retailers, local governments and regional environmental groups has formed to organize the fourth annual A Day Without a Bag, which urges consumers to forego environmentally harmful one-use plastic or paper grocery bags in favor of reusable totes. By raising consumer awareness about personal choices, the event’s short-term goal is to educate Southland shoppers to adopt more sustainable practices during the holidays and coming year. The event’s long-term goal is to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags throughout California by empowering shoppers, and the community at large, to take simple and direct actions to eliminate unsightly debris and save taxpayer dollars.  
Dozens of community groups, from soccer clubs in Highland Park to Girl Scout troops in Agoura Hills, will be conducting bag giveaways and grassroots education for consumers throughout the region. The event, organized by Heal the Bay, is sponsored by the city and county of Los Angeles.

Heal the Bay partners will distribute free reusable bags to patrons throughout the region. A diverse mix of retailers is scheduled to support the Dec. 16 event through in-store promotions or giveaways at stores countywide, including Ralphs, 99 Cents Only, Subaru and Union Bank.

A public awareness campaign about the economic and ecological benefits of reusable bags is being aimed at L.A. county residents, who use more than 6 billion disposable plastic shopping bags each year.

Spurred by the success of previous Heal the Bay events, community groups throughout the state launched their own A Day Without a Bag campaigns.

Cities Get Involved

Los Angeles County’s landmark decision last month to ban plastic bags in unincorporated areas has given tremendous momentum to the bag reduction movement. In 2009 more than 70 of the county’s 88 cities officially endorsed the A Day Without a Bag or “Brag About Your Bag” campaigns. Mark Gold, president of Heal the Bay said, “The County’s decision reflects the growing groundswell in Los Angeles for reusable bags, which not only save the environment but taxpayer dollars as well, especially in a time of drastic budget shortfalls.”

In addition, many other locations in California are holding similar A Day Without a Bag events on December 16th including San Diego County, Orange County, Santa Barbara and San Francisco.

California municipalities spend nearly $25 million each year just to collect and dispose of plastic bag waste. Less than 5% of plastic grocery bags are recycled each year in Los Angeles, so the remainder clogs precious landfill, litters public spaces and harms animal life when the bags infiltrate waterways. Paper bags, while biodegradable, still require vast amounts of fossil fuels and water to produce, distribute and collect for disposal. Heavy-duty reusable bags are convenient, environmentally friendly alternatives that have been embraced by millions around the world. Ireland has been able to reduce its use of disposable grocery bags by 90% since 2001 via public programs.

For More Information go to. http://sites.healthebay.org/dwab/2010/main_event.asp