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