Following a two year process that involved business and community meetings to get input about banning plastic bags, Sunnyvale's City Council met December 6 and adopted an ordinance to ban single-use carry-out plastic bags. Sunnyvale joins many cities and countries around the world with bans including San Jose, San Francisco, Santa Monica, Los Angeles and Santa Clara Counties, China, Mexico, India, South Africa, Ireland, Belgium and France.

 

The ordinance, which takes effect June 2012, bans the carrying plastic bags from 99 covered stores and requires the retailers to charge a $0.10 fee for recycled content paper bags. The fee would be kept by the retailer and increase to $0.25 in 2014. The ban will extend to all Sunnyvale retailers in March 2013. Restaurants, food establishments, non-profits and charitable organizations are not subject to the ban. Produce bags, the kind used in grocery stores to wrap meat, fruits and vegetables, are not affected, nor are plastic garbage bags. Reusable bags are available for sale at all major supermarkets and drugstores. For a list of stores that are included in the ban, or for more information, go to Recycling.inSunnyvale.com. 

Alternative Wrapping is a Gift to the Environment

 

Although many of you may be aware that burning holiday gift wrap can cause air pollution, did you know that burning holiday gift wrap pollutes waterways too?

 

Particulate matter and heavy metals such as lead and chromium, dioxins, and other pollutants are released into the air when gift wrap is burned. Eventually, these pollutants could end up in Bay Area waters, which in turn, could harm fish and wildlife.

 

Instead of wrapping paper, try a gift wrapping alternative such as:

• Old or outdated maps
• Reusable bags
• Leftover fabric
• Newspaper
• Jars
• Reuse ribbons, wrapping paper and boxes
• A gift in a gift - pots, baskets, scarves, etc ...

It's easy to reduce waste and prevent water pollution. Lets all give our local waterways a gift this holiday season, by not burning holiday gift-wrap. 

Sunnyvale is hosting an informational meeting on the Energy Upgrade California Program Thursday, January 19, 2012 at the Sunnyvale Community Center Neighborhood Room, 550 East Remington Drive at 7:00 p.m. Learn how you can take advantage of financial incentives and meet qualified contractors.

 

Energy Upgrade California in Santa Clara County is your one-stop-shop for home efficiency projects that can reduce energy and water use, create a more comfortable home and even lower your utility bills. Energy Upgrade California helps homeowners or renters make home improvements that increase home energy efficiency.

 

Rebates range from $1,000 to $4,000. Attend this meeting to learn how you can take advantage.

 

DID YOU KNOW? ... Water flowing down gutters into storm drains goes untreated straight to our creeks and from there to the Bay? Just think of all the harmful pollutants that could be collected after it rains ... pesticides, fertilizers, automotive fluids, pet waste, litter and other debris. Remember, storms drains are there to help control flooding from rain storms, not for waste disposal. Only rain belongs in the drain! For more information on water pollution prevention, visit WPCP.inSunnyvale.com.