Supporters Will Celebrate Tonight In The Pearl District
Where else but outside Portland City Hall will you see salmon dancing alongside garbage bag monsters?
The colorful show was part rally, part celebration, as the Ban The Bag movement kicked off a season of activism they hope will bring about a statewide ban on single use plastic bags.
Portland Mayor Sam Adams provided the headline of the day, repeating his announcement that the city will have a draft ordinance to ban plastic bags ready for public review by the end of the week.
Details of what’s in the draft ban are still under wraps. But that seemed to matter little to supporters who say getting Portland on board now, and approving bans in other Oregon cities, will give them the momentum they need when the legislature looks at the issue early next year.
Oregon came very close to approving a plastic bag ban during the 2010 special session. Sponsors of a ban thought they had the grocers association on board, but last minute objections killed the idea. Back in February, State Senator Mark Hass told me that the grocers and retailers were concerned about how much more it would cost them to switch from plastic to paper bags.
The Oregonian reports that Hass and co-sponsor State Senator Jason Atkinson are reviving the bill for the 2011 session, with a big change that appears to be winning over grocers. The bill allows them to charge customers a nickel for paper bags.
Video: Ban The Bag Rally Portland
A Day Of Action
The rally was the second event of a closely choreographed “Day Of Action.”
It kicked off this morning before the Portland City Council when supporters called on city leaders to pass the ban.
One of them was Stiv Wilson of the 5 Gyres Project. His testimony included graphic descriptions of the junk he found floating in the ocean during a four week tour of the North Pacific Gyre in January.
He asked council members to imagine being 2000 miles of land and finding PVC pipe, shotgun shells and toothbrushes. “Everything you see in the grocery store is out there,” he said. “You can pick it up with your hand.”
He and the others who testified say Portland has a critical role to play in the statewide movement for a ban.
Among them, Nastassja Pace of Oregon Surfrider. Surfrider is a key player behind the proposed ban. “Portlanders are ready to ban the bag,” she told the council. “We need your help. Leadership in Portland will help lead the way for statewide legislation.”
Celebration Tonight
The day wraps up with a celebration at the headquarters of Keen Footwear, 926 NW 13th Ave, Portland. Beer will be served.
Related Story:
Down, Not Out. Plastic Bag Ban Will Return Says The Bill’s Sponsor
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