Thursday, December 16th is Day Without a Bag, a day focused on the importance of reusing bags to reduce the plastic pollution in our streets and coasts.  Although AB1998 did not pass, cities and counties around the state are working to create bans or fees for plastic bags to reduce plastic pollution.

The Humboldt County Board of Supervisors joined the coalition of supporters by asking the Humboldt Waste Management Authority to put together a county ordinance to ban single-use plastic bags.  The Arcata City Council has also supported the ban and is working on options best suited to the city.

A plastic bag ban is vital in coastal communities because roughly 60-80% of marine debris is plastic. Plastic photodegrades, meaning it breaks down when exposed to sunlight into smaller pieces of plastic. Ten years ago, the Algalita Marine Research team analyzed samples from the Pacific Garbage Patch and found 6 times as much plastic as plankton.  The same study was recently repeated in the same location and found about 36 times more plastic than plankton, a six-fold increase in ten years.

This plastic is entering the food chain, affecting marine life and human health.  Plastic bags contain a myriad of chemicals that are known to cause endocrine disruption, cancer, and reproductive harm.

Please remember to bring a bag with you to the grocery store on Thursday for 'Day without a Bag' and everyday!  For more information, visit www.abouthtebag.com.