Sustainable Fairfax worked to usher in a Plastic Bag Ban in the Town of Fairfax. This ban was the first in the state enacted through a community effort ballot measure and it won by an amazing 79% of the vote. It is the only ban that includes all retail, restaurant and grocery stores within the town limits.

Project Chair Renee Goddard spearheaded the activisim to support the ballot measure, organized sewing parties to make reusable bags, and then fundraised to purchase corn-based bio bags. She visited every business in town to help them come up with resources and alternatives for bulk purchasing.

With the help of other heroes such as Larry Bragman who wrote the ordinance, the folks at Good Earth who helped us provide affordable alternatives, Marin Sanitary Service who provided educational tools, and numerous committed citizens who collected signatures, we voted in a Plastic Bag Ban. Sustainable Fairfax also worked with Green Sangha to provide education about the problems caused by plastic bags in the resource stream.

The Plastic Bag Ban movement has spread within California and beyond. See our article in the Fairfax-San Anselmo Patch for information about the County-wide ordinance that was put in effect in January, 2012.