TIVERTON — Sustainable Sakonnet is working with a coalition of area environmental groups to advance a single-use plastic bag ban in Tiverton. Organizers say they are seizing on the momentum of …
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TIVERTON — Sustainable Sakonnet is working with a coalition of area environmental groups to advance a single-use plastic bag ban in Tiverton. Organizers say they are seizing on the momentum of similar ban activities in other East Bay communities.
The group hopes to approach the Town Council at its December 11 meeting to introduce the idea and “begin the discussion,” said organizer Bill Gerlach.
The kickoff event will be a beach cleanup this Saturday, December 2, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Fogland Beach.
Mr. Gerlach says “the cleanup aims to help bring awareness of a plastic solution to our Tiverton community.”
Fogland is a fitting place for the launch since analysis of trash at past cleanups indicates that over 6.5 percent of the trash found on local shorelines is single use plastic bags.
“We are at the point where there are smarter alternatives,” Mr. Gerlach said.
“This is not a novel idea,” he said, noting that the nearby towns of Barrington (in 2014), and more recently Newport, Middletown and Jamestown have all banned single use plastic bags of the sort used most often at grocery and other stores. Other towns, among them Portsmouth, have begun the process.
To offset concerns about the possible loss of the free bags, he said Sustainable Sakonnet is looking into grants that could help provide low cost or even free reusable bags to residents, “which is something that has worked in other towns.”
The process, as it has played out in other towns, involves convincing the town council to approve an ordinance banning single use plastic bags, The discussion, Mr. Gerlach said, will include townspeople, businesses and the town council.
“Tiverton doesn’t have as much of a commercial base as some of the other towns, he said, but does have a grocery store (Tom’s), pharmacies including CVS and Rite Aid, and other shops from which feedback will be sought.
“I’m optimistic that these establishments will be supportive,” he said.
“The statistic that sticks out to me is that single use plastic bags are used for, on average, something like 12 minutes and then take a thousand years or more to decompose somewhere … We can do better than that.”
Saturday at Fogland
To participate in the cleanup, meet at 10 a.m. at the middle of the parking lot of Fogland Beach by a blue earth flag. Gloves and bags will be provided.
Those who support a ban on single-use bags in Tiverton and throughout Newport Countycan sign an online petition at chang.org (search ban use plastic bags on aquidneck and conanicut island). If you are interested in doing more about plastic pollution in our area, the group suggests following some of these tips from Clean Ocean Access:
• Get outside and connect with nature
• Get yourself a few durable reusable bags and stop using plastic bags
• Let your favorite merchants know that you support the elimination of plastic bags
• Inform elected officials that you support the elimination of plastic bags.
Sustainable Sakonnet is a grassroots Tiverton and Little Compton group of residents sharing news, ideas, and know-how to drive improved environmental conditions and sustainable living practices within our Sakonnet area. The group is facilitated by Tiverton resident, Bill Gerlach. Learn more and follow at the Sustainable Sakonnet Facebook page.