This proposal aims to reduce the Coop's reliance on plastic roll bags on the shopping floor. The goal of this proposal is to encourage bag reuse, help reduce plastic waste, and raise awareness about this environmentally damaging material.

1. NEW &
IMPROVED!
Proposal to Reduce
Plastic Roll Bag Use
Proposed by the PSFC’s Environmental Committee
Supported by 600+ members and growing

2. COOPERATION IN ACTION!
The original "Plastic Roll Bag Phaseout" proposal has
evolved based on helpful feedback and suggestions from
the membership.
Thank you!

3. PROPOSAL : REDUCE PLASTIC ROLL BAG USE
This proposal aims to reduce the Coop's reliance on plastic roll
bags on the shopping floor by:
• Ending the free distribution of plastic roll bags and making them
available for purchase at a minimal cost of .20¢ per bag.
• Insuring the Coop stocks a selection of low-cost, lightweight,
reusable roll bag alternatives.
• Improving floor signage and access to reusable bags.
• Encouraging members to reuse plastic bags already taken from
the Coop and elsewhere.
• Providing educational activities and communications to help with
member transition.
• Ensuring the Coop implements a method of selling plastic roll
bags by April 2014.

4. PROPOSAL : REDUCE PLASTIC ROLL BAG USE
The Coop's free distribution of plastic roll bags, when sustainable
options and practices are available, violates our Mission Statement
and Environmental Policy.
The goal of this proposal is to encourage bag reuse, help reduce
plastic waste, and raise awareness about this environmentally
damaging material.

5. RE-USABLE ALTERNATIVES
This proposal is not about replacing plastic bags with
muslin bags or other types of free bag distribution (corn,
paper). It’s not a ban on plastic. It’s about re-using bags!
There are numerous no or low-cost options.

6. ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITTEE
PLASTIC REDUCTION EDUCATIONAL ACTIVITIES
For 30 years the Committee has:
•
educated members about
concerns related to plastic
consumption with floor signs,
Gazette articles, blog posts, and
public events.
•
encouraged members to switch to
reusable bags.
•
asked General Coordinators to
stock various and visible reusable
bags options.
•
requested ideas and feedback from
members and administration on
plastic reduction.

7. PSFC ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY
The Environmental Committee is charged with
researching and recommending best practices
in order to uphold the Coop’s Environmental
Policy.
Environmental policy aims to, in part:
•
Avoid toxic substances in a product's
production process, use, and disposal.
•
Minimize disposable products.
•
Achieve environmentally sound packaging.
•
Avoid companies that have demonstrated
extreme levels of environmental
irresponsibility.
These principles are violated by the Coop’s free
distribution of plastic bags.

8. PSFC MISSION STATEMENT
The Coop’s Mission Statement states, in part:
•
We seek to avoid products that depend on
the exploitation of others.
•
We strive to reduce the impact of our
lifestyles on the world we share with other
species and future generations.
•
We try to lead by example, educating
ourselves and others.
•
We oppose discrimination in any form.
These principles are violated by the Coop’s
distribution of free plastic bags.

9. COMMITTEE RESEARCH
TRIPLE BOTTOM LINE: PROFITS, PEOPLE AND PLANET
Our Mission Statement and Environmental
Policy commit the Coop to what is known as a
“triple bottom line,” or TBL. An accounting
framework to evaluate the sustainability of
business ventures, it integrates concern for the
“3 P’s” of profits, people, and planet. The
Coop is obligated to balance financial success
with social and environmental sustainability.
Research:
1. Disposable Financial Waste
2. Environmental Devastation
3. Health Affects
4. Social Injustice

10. COMMITTEE RESEARCH
1. DISPOSABLE + FINANCIAL WASTE
Our research shows that the one of the most
impactful steps toward lightening our footprint on
the planet is reducing usage of disposable,
“convenience” plastics.
In doing so, we also reduce our monetary
contributions to the oil, natural gas, and chemical
corporations that produce plastic bags -- some of
the biggest polluters in the world.
• British Petroleum
• Halliburton
• Chesapeake Energy
• Dow Chemical
• DuPont

11. COMMITTEE RESEARCH
1. DISPOSABLE FINANCIAL WASTE
+
=
The majority of polyethylene feedstock produced for
the Coop’s plastic bags is born from NATURAL GAS.
The Coop supports the anti-fracking/renewable
energy movement, because FRACKING threatens
our food supply. Providing convenient, free plastic
bags increases the demand for fracking.

12. COMMITTEE RESEARCH
1. DISPOSABLE FINANCIAL WASTE
We use 383 bags an hour and spend thousands a year on plastic food bags!*
•
Few members consistently pay
for each plastic roll bags.
•
Since reusable alternatives are
available, by phasing out plastic
roll bags on the shopping floor,
the Coop could start saving
$22,800 a year and put that
money towards renewables.
•
That’s a lot of disposable
financial and plastic waste when
you add it up over a lifetime of
shopping.
* NOT including plastic garbage and recycling bags and plastic wrap.

13. ... A LIFETIME OF PLASTIC BAGS LASTS FOREVER

14. COMMITTEE RESEARCH
2. ENVIRONMENTAL DEVASTATION
Plastic is not part of the natural life cycle. Every piece of plastic ever made still
exists today and will forever!
•
UNSUSTAINABLE: Made from nonrenewable and rapidly declining
resources, like deep-water
petroleum and fracked natural gas.
•
POORLY RECYCLED: Unlike glass
and metal, plastic is NOT effectively
recycled.
•
NEVER BIODEGRADES: Plastic
doesn’t biodegrade into healthy soil
for our food. Instead it leaches and
bioaccumulates toxins.
•
OCEAN POLLUTION: Plastic
polymers currently contribute up to
90% of the waste floating in the
oceans.

15. COMMITTEE RESEARCH
3. HEALTH AFFECTS
Despite having the image of cleanliness, plastic is actually quite dirty.
•
A University of Tennessee study found that nearly
ALL plastic, even that which claims to be BPA-free,
releases chemicals that have estrogenic activity-causing hormone disruption and contributing to the
dramatic increase in chronic health problems.
•
Thousands of possible chemical additives could be
added to plastic products, but trade secret laws
protect the plastic industry and they are not
required to disclose the ingredients.
•
It's impossible for consumers to know for sure if
any plastics are safe since we don't know what
chemicals have been added to them and the
majority of chemicals in use have not been tested.

16. COMMITTEE RESEARCH
4. SOCIAL INJUSTICE
Our plastic consumption and convenience culture affects not only our community,
but also the families living near and working in industry plants.
•
In petrochemical centers, low-income
families work in the plastic
manufacturing and recycling industry.
Toxic air, water and soil, and a high rate
of cancer death is the norm.
•
According to an EPA study, of the 47
chemical plants ranked highest in
carcinogenic emissions, 35 are involved
in plastic recycling or production.
•
Our trash and recycling is trucked
through and to low income
communities for processing. These
communities suffer from highest
asthma and cancer rates in the city.

17. CONCLUSION
The Committee feels that our findings are significant and
urgent enough to recommend an end to the free distribution
of plastic roll bags on the shopping floor.
•
Reusable alternatives and sustainable practices are available now and need not
incur significant costs to members.
•
Paying for plastic bags helps us to take responsibility for the catastrophic costs
of plastic manufacturing, consumption, and waste, which are not passed along
to us as consumers.
•
States and countries are phasing out the free distribution of disposable plastic
in schools, markets, and stores.
•
Other food coops around the world look to the Park Slope Food Coop as a role
model. Our actions in this matter will not only positively affect our local
community, but could have far reaching impacts, as well.

18. PSA
HOW TO SHOP WITH A RE-USABLE BAG
tinyurl.com/theshopper

19. THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!
Answers to common questions about this proposal can be found
on our blog, EcoKvetch.blogspot.com
Interested in Joining the Committee?
•
Contact: ecokvetch@yahoo.com
Find us on Twitter and Facebook
• Facebook.com/EcoKvetch
• Twitter.com/Ecokvetch
Learn to be Plastic-Free
•
Visit: myplasticfreelife.com