Banning Plastics – Updates & Resources
At the BCN Forum on Banning Plastics, Sept. 13, moderator Chris Powicki promised to follow up with updates and additional resources. As promised, here they are:
“Banning Plastics: Why Not in Brewster?”
Many thanks to the speakers and citizens participating in our 9/13 forum, including 1st-grader Sophia, who sparked the event by asking questions and then prepared a helpful poster; and 3rd-grader Ella, who joined Shayna Ferullo, Madhavi Venkatesan, Mary Chaffee, and Meg Morris on the panel.
Recycling Commission Discussion of Plastic Bag Ban on September 20
The Brewster Recycling Commission meets Thursday, September 20, at 3 pm in Room B at Brewster Town Hall. The agenda includes “Plastic Bag Ban Discussion (continuation)”; this will include a report on the BCN forum and an update on the joint effort by the Recycling Commission and the Brewster Chamber of Commerce to encourage local businesses to voluntarily stop using single-use plastic bags, in lieu of passing a bag ban like 13 other towns on the Cape. The Commission’s meeting packet includes a business survey sent out by Commission Chair and part-time Chamber employee Meg Morris stating, “We agree with the Chamber that we’d rather our businesses just move away from the single use bag to either paper bags or reusable bags rather than another regulation be created and enforced. However, there is movement afoot to bring the issue to Town Meeting. We would rather be able to praise our Brewster businesses for their environmental awareness and actions!”
Fall Special Town Meeting Article Deadline
At the BCN forum, it was erroneously reported that the deadline had passed for submitting articles for consideration at this fall’s Special Town Meeting on December 3rd. According to the Town Clerk, articles maybe submitted as late as November 5, when the warrant will be signed – but earlier submissions are recommended to allow for legal review. Citizen petitions must be accompanied by 100 validated signatures.
Resources suggested by Deb Pasternak, Mass Sierra:
https://www.sierraclub.org/massachusetts/plastic-bags-0
https://www.sierraclub.org/massachusetts/designing-and-implementing-bag-laws
Initiative discussed by Meg Morris, Brewster Recycling Commission:
Cape Cod Anti-Litter Coalition – https://www.nocapelitter.org/
Activities mentioned by Madhavi Venkatesan, Sustainable Practices:
All-Cape Bottle Ban and September 23 Beach Cleanup Day – https://sustainablepracticesltd.org/bottle-ban
October 6 showing of “Plastic China” in Chatham – https://sustainablepracticesltd.org/film-series