Banning Plastic Bags
From the Spring of 2007 to present, Save Our Shores cleanup volunteers removed over 28,800 plastic bags from our local beaches and rivers, yet countless other plastic bags have made their way into the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Plastic is not biodegradable, is made of toxic chemicals and petroleum, and is a product of convenience. In the marine environment, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller particles that absorb toxic chemicals, are ingested by wildlife, and enter the food chain that we depend on.
Around 100 billion petroleum-based plastic checkout bags are used each year in the United States, requiring an estimated 12 million barrels of oil each year. A ban on plastic bags would help preserve the integrity of our local ecosystems, reduce the burden on landfills, and cut back litter in our communities. 
For these and other reasons, Save Our Shores supports a ban on all single-use plastic bags for cities and counties surrounding the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Such ordinances are needed to prevent plastic pollution, save money, and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Many other cities and counties have taken similar action recently including San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Los Angeles County, and Marin County.
Take Action to Ban Single-Use Plastic Bags in Monterey County!
There are many alternatives out there, such as reusable cloth bags, bags made from recycled products, bags made from starches, biodegradable polymer and other renewable resources. Save Our Shores feels strongly that alternatives should be reusable bags, not single-use bags such as paper bags which cause significant environmental impacts of their own.
The Central Coast Sanctuary Alliance is a new alliance of over 70 environmental organizations and Supporting Businesses working together to ban single-use plastic bags in each county and municipality around the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
On September 13, 2011, the Santa Cruz County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved an ordinance to ban single-use plastic bags from retailers and food vendors in unincorporated Santa Cruz County. This ordinance is a huge win for Save Our Shores, our local communities, and, of course, the marine environment we work to protect each day.
The City of Monterey also approved their own ban on single-use plastic bags in December, 2011.
Local jurisdictions around Monterey Bay will soon follow suit in passage of similar ordinances. Because cities such as Santa Cruz, Capitola, Watsonville, Scotts Valley, Monterey, Salinas, Marina, and so on, have their own governance run by their City Council members, each incorporated city within these counties will need to pass their own ordinance.
This means the fight has only just begun around the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary.
Remember, it takes citizen action to create real change and we need your voice to help pass ALL of these local ordinances. Take Action by signing the petition above & join us on facebook to stay up to date on the latest news!
Read our Fact Sheet on Plastic Bag Bans: CCSA-Bag-Ban-FactSheet
> A local Girl Scout Toop Helps SOS petition in our community for a ban on single-use plastic bags
> Students from Monarch School speak at the Santa Cruz City Council Meeting in support of the Single-Use Bag Reduction Ordinance
