Community Environmental Council: Reducing Our Dependence on Plastic

To: Bluedot Living

From: Community Environmental Council 

Subject: Reducing Our Dependence on Plastic

For more than 50 years, the Community Environmental Council (CEC) has consistently advocated for strong environmental policies. The playbook is proven and effective: Push cities and counties to pass policies that influence other regions and the state to follow suit. The work CEC does in this community matters, and its impact ripples out beyond the Central Coast.

While CEC works simultaneously on many aspects of climate health, a continuous laser focus is on plastic reduction. 

Stop Plastic at the Source

Policies and laws that cut off the supply of plastic are the most effective means of reduction; recycling alone doesn’t get it done. Thus CEC has worked to pass nine source-reduction ordinances throughout Santa Barbara County, including:

• Plastic bag bans in the cities of Carpinteria and Santa Barbara and the County of Santa Barbara. 
• Comprehensive plastic regulations in the City of Goleta that prohibit the distribution and sale of polystyrene products and Mylar balloons, regulate the distribution of plastic disposable foodware, and establish on-premise reusable foodware policies. 
• Additional laws that limit the distribution of accessory items like plastic straws, lids, and stirrers.

What stopping plastic looks like:

• Encouraging locals to vote for plastic reduction policies.
• Advocating for the election of supportive local officials.
• Organizing constituent-based coalitions.
• Pushing government agency staff to include waste reduction policies in their Climate Action Plans.

Empower People to Reduce Plastic

And while CEC works hard to get new plastic-reduction laws on the books, the organization also makes progress by encouraging meaningful behavior change among residents in our existing legal landscape. 

What empowering people looks like:

• Encouraging re-use — CEC’s Rethink the Drink program has installed 125 water stations, and counting, at schools, parks, and public spaces to make reusable bottles practical and single-use plastic water bottles unnecessary.
• Supporting grassroots advocacy — Nine elementary schools in Goleta and three in the nearby Hope Ranch District are introducing metal utensils in their cafeterias, eliminating the need for 57,000 plastic sporks (enough to fill one semi truck) at each school each year.
• Promoting refill stores that provide plastic-free packaging:
  • Mission Refill in Goleta
  • Sunkissed Pantry in Santa Barbara
  • The Refillery in Ventura
• Alerting the public when policy action is needed — CEC’s network of Climate Activists attend city council or board of supervisors meetings where plastic reduction policies are being considered.

Join CEC’s Efforts to Reduce Plastic Pollution

A lot of work has been done and a lot of work lies ahead. Do you want to know and do more? 

• Sign up for CEC’s Climate Activist list to be notified of opportunities to take policy action in your community. 
• Subscribe to CEC’s e-newsletter to stay in the loop on upcoming events and opportunities to engage.