Yesterday’s public meeting of the Santa Cruz Public Works Department had an unexpected guest. As residents and representatives of environmental groups discussed a proposed ban of single use plastic bags in unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County, they had a chance to hear from the Bag Monster himself.
Yesterday’s public meeting of the Santa Cruz Public Works Department had an unexpected guest. As residents and representatives of environmental groups discussed a proposed ban of single use plastic bags in unincorporated areas of Santa Cruz County, they had a chance to hear from the Bag Monster himself.
The “Monster” was actually Norm Beeson, a volunteer with Save Our Shores, who was decked out in 500 plastic bags—about the same amount that the average person uses in a single year. He was there to tell people about the impact that these bags are having on the environment. Most plastic bags are discarded within minutes of their being used, and since they are not biodegradable, they end up filling landfills and waterways. In the water, they are often mistaken for jellyfish and consumed by larger animals such as turtles. Other animals end up getting caught in them.
Supervisor Mark Stone, who supports the ban, says that he is fed up with waiting for state authorities to act. There is an active plastic bag lobby, led by the American Chemistry Council, that advocates recycling rather than an all-out ban on the bags. The problem, bag opponents say, is that most bags don’t get recycled and end up in the food chain.
The Bag Monster agrees. As a volunteer with Save Our Shores, Beeson has helped to clean up the coast near his home in Seacliff. He was inspired to do this by the amount of litter that regularly shows up on the beach, including plastic bags. After all, there are only so many bags he can use to make his Bag Monster costume.
Read more at the Santa Cruz Sentinel.
