Sierra Club Plastic Trash Campaign Creates Survey - Please Help Us Communicate Your Opinion

Sierra Club Volunteer Hoiyin Ip has been leading an effort to gather local opinions about plastic trash - Please take the consumer survey of single-use plastics.survey. 

She was recently at the Newport Beach event called "Green on the Green Eco Expo & CERT Disaster Preparedness Expo", where the Sierra Club had one focus - trash.  As part of this focus, Sierra Club invited the public to take part in Coastal Cleanup Day on Sept. 16, and conducted a consumer survey of single-use plastics. 

Since June 2, 2017, when the State issued trash provisions, Sierra Club has been actively working with the cities and the public on trash reduction. A significant portion of trash is single-use plastics, a non-biodegradable fossil fuel product, harmful to the environment and human health. Single-use items provide convenience but lead to less need-based consumption. Sierra Club encourages everyone to become a more mindful consumer. 

In the survey conducted at the Expo, most of the survey participants thought there was the need to reduce consumption of single-use plastics and replace them with reusable/biodegradable. More than half of them have been doing it already, but some stated real change needed to be made on a higher level. For instance, restaurants and events typically give people no choice but to use the things they know that are not good for the environment.  

The survey results from the event are consistent with what Sierra Club has received from a diverse pool in LA/OC since the survey was created in August. There is a gap between consumers' preference and businesses' practice. Where are we headed to? Looking at the recent past, when the stores were not willing to stop using single-use plastic bags, citizens took the action to have them banned. For now, it might be a good idea for the businesses to go a shade greener, for marketing purpose, at least.