Examining Our Baggage

Did you know April is Plastics Pollution Reduction Month in Bellingham? All throughout April, RE Sources and Bag It Bellingham will be hosting a number of workshops, events, and discussions to get more attention around the issues of consumption and waste of plastic products.




Come out for some fun, alternative events which show you how you can re-use waste creatively, educational presentations on how manufacturers are flooding our oceans with marketing driven over-packaging, and compelling films which inform and encourage viewers on what they can do in their communities to make a difference. Bring your friends, families, and colleagues and join us for a plastics themed Trash Fashion Show, visit Allied arts to see the recycled art exhibit, stop by Western to watch the film "Bag It", join us at Locust Beach for a beach clean-up and garbage art installation, come to the Sustainable Living Center to watch "The Clean Bin Project", or make some junk sculptures at the Whatcom Museum Family Interactive Gallery. Visit our website for event details.


In conjunction with Bellingham's efforts to reduce plastic pollution and increase re-use awareness comes a single-use bag ban ordinance. With the support of city residents of Bag It Bellingham, a local effort to reduce single-use bags, City Councilmember Seth Fleetwood introduced an ordinance for public consideration that will reduce plastic pollution by regulating single-use carryout bags in Bellingham. This proposed ordinance, delivered to the City Council on March 4th, will be the first in Washington State to not only prohibit single-use plastic carryout bags but also incentivize use of reusable bags by requiring a customer to pay 5 cents for a recycled paper bag. "The object is to kick start behavioral change. We live in a profoundly wasteful culture with horrendous environmental implications and corresponding public costs. It's time to lead by example," said City Councilmember, Seth Fleetwood."This is the right thing to do. It is our hope that more cities around the country will implement similar legislation." Check out more information on Bellingham's single-use bag ordinance on Bag It Bellingham's blog.