Plastic utensils are among the top ten items found during beach cleanups, and I have found my fair share while walking at the beach. Plastic knives, forks, and spoons are not recyclable in most waste systems, because they are made from a variety of types of plastic resins, and the odd shapes make them difficult for recyclers to bale. Plastic cutlery can also jam sorting machines, and they are a common contaminant in recycling systems.

We must reduce the amount of single-use plastic items we consume in order to help mitigate the plastic pollution problem. For an eye-opening video about our ridiculous dependence on convenience, watch The Story of a Spoon, and then, join me in taking action by participating in upcoming City Council Meetings in Vista and Oceanside. Details below.  

In Vista, the City Council will discuss single-use plastics on Tuesday, March 9th at 5:30pm. The discussion will probably begin around 6:00pm, but I plan to join at 5:30pm to make sure I don’t miss anything. We are grateful to Council Member Contreras for continuing the plastic waste conversation by adding it to the meeting agenda, which is linked HERE.

We are hoping that the Council will direct staff to draft a single-use plastic reduction ordinance that will phase out polystyrene (Styrofoam) food service-ware and will include language about providing straws, utensils, stirrers, etc only upon request. This phased approach will provide businesses with ample time to recover and adjust prior to implementation. However, a majority vote in favor is not a given, and your voice will make a difference. 

Please submit a public comment prior to the meeting by emailing PublicComments@cityofvista.com and writing “Agenda Item D2 Single Use Plastics” in the subject line, or you can submit a comment by leaving a message at 760-643-2815. Say and spell your name and state agenda item D2 Single Use Plastics. All comments received by 2:00pm on the day of the meeting will be emailed (voicemails will be summarized) to the City Council members and will be added to the packet.

If you plan to make a public comment during the meeting, join the meeting through the Zoom link included in the AGENDA. Members of the public will not be on video but will be called upon when using the ‘Raise Hand’ option or by pressing *9, as instructed.

NEXT UP, OCEANSIDE—Mark your calendars and prepare written comments in support of Oceanside’s Marine Debris Reduction Ordinance, which will be discussed during the Zero Waste Plan Update Workshop scheduled for March 17th at 2:00pm. Please register to speak and/or submit written comments by emailing the City Clerk at CityClerk@OsideCA.org before 12:00pm on the day of the meeting. Don’t forget to include “Zero Waste Plan Update Workshop: Marine Debris Reduction Ordinance” in the subject line. The agenda with the Zoom link will be available next week; in the meantime, additional participation instructions are available HERE.

For more information, Tips for Commenting on City Council Agenda Items can be found HERE, and Single-Use Plastics Fact Sheets are available HERE.

Please contact me at janis@surfridersd.org if you have any questions about how you might contribute.