Dear Maiken and Colleagues--I have been following the series of posts on
the Farmers Market, Zero Waste and plastic bags. I am a big proponent of
Zero Waste. There are many others in Tompkins Co. and the City of Ithaca,
and I'm sure at CU and IC as well, that are aware of the notion of Zero
Waste, including the limitations on the use of plastic shopping bags. Some
major cities, such as San Francisco and Oakland CA, have passed resolutions
via local government that declare that those cities will work to achieve
Zero Waste by 2020, or some other target date. Other countries/cities have
embraced at least some components of Zero Waste, one being a reduction in
the use of plastic shopping bags. I am on a City of Ithaca committee that
is called the Local Action Committee charged with determining how the City
of Ithaca operations (separate from the local population) can reduce its
GHG emissions/carbon foot print to meet the requirements of the Kyoto
Treaty, which the Mayor has signed for the City of Ithaca., and similar
processes. I have suggested to this group that the City of Ithaca's
governmental operations should target Zero Waste. How far this will
actually go I'm not sure. Some countries, AU and NZ for example, have
either banned plastic shopping sacks or have a charge per bag policy. In
Ithaca I think it would take a resolution of City Council and a new City
Statute enforced, along with a massive public education program, as well
as a shopping sack replacement program (read many $) for the termination of
the use of plastic shopping bags at the hundreds of retail outlets
currently using them in Ithaca and Tompkins County.
All of this being as it may be, if you are interested in organizing a group
who's goal is to eliminate plastic shopping sacks I would strongly urge you
to look at existing efforts in sustainability in the area. Sustainable
Tompkins is an umbrella group of sorts that works with a coalition of local
organizations with similar goals to maximize the efforts of the various
groups concerned. The next Sustainable Tompkins meeting is April 12, so it
may be useful to attend this meeting and discuss your ideas with the people
there. One local group that is very action oriented is the Ithaca Think Do
Tank. Perhaps plastic shopping bag elimination could be a project of this
group? (Contact person is Kat McCarthy <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>.) There
may be other pre-existing groups that could develop this as a project as
well. Tompkins County Solid Waste has a fairly extensive recycling program
and I have heard that there are people within the County operations that
are interested in the Zero Waste concept. It may well be worth discussing
this idea with County staff as well. Try contacting Linnet Short, the
communications coordinator for Tompkins County Solid Waste
Management. Many of the people involved in local environmental activities,
such as those folks planning Earth Day, might also be interested in a
plastic bag elimination program. You could explore some of this year's
Earth Day events and look for like minded souls there. I would be
interested in meeting with you sometime to discuss various ideas, although
my time is getting rapidly devoured by the Public Service Gnomes. My
contact information is below. I have also attached a brief overview
document which describes Zero Waste in a schematic format. (My apologies
to those who may have received this from me already.)
Have a wonderful weekend. Tom
Tom Shelley
118 E. Court St.
Ithaca, NY 14850
607 342-0864
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.myspace.com/99319958
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