Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags Now

Sen. Fran Pavley
Senate District 23
4035 State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Sen. Pavley,

I'm writing to urge your support of AB 1998, the Single-Use Bag Reduction Act.  AB 1998 would ban  plastic single-use bags and require recycled paper bags be sold at stores in California.

The appalling existence of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch should be reason enough to stop use of these bags, which are routinely fatal to over 200 species of marine life.  Californians use an estimated 19 million of these bags every year.  Only 5% or less are recycled.  Paper bags are not much better; they're a drain on our natural resources.  AB 1998 will quickly steer consumer habits to cloth and reusable bags.

San Francisco, Malibu, Fairfax, and Palo Alto currently ban these bags, and 20 other cities are working on bans, including my own city, Santa Monica.  Rather than taking an ineffective piecemeal approach AB 1998 will create a uniform policy and extending California's leadership in good environmental stewardship.  I encourage you to lead by supporting AB 1998.

Sincerely,

Citizen Dylan