Better Bag Ban – Take Action!

It’s coming, time to press full throttle to expand Portland’s Reusable Bag ordinance! Some important dates are coming up and we need your support for the Better Bag Campaign! Here’s 3 simple ways to engage in the coming week to support the campaign:

1) Day of Action Nov. 10th 11:00am-3:00pm

Join us at the SE Lucky Lab where we’ll meet, instruct volunteers and hit the streets for some canvassing. No experience necessary, we’ll train you, feed you and put a cool Ban the Bag shirt on your back.

2) Visit our Action page – Sign the petition!

Wanna do a little more? Host a letter-writing party or sign up as a business supporter. Contact volunteercoordinator@portland.surfrider.org for more info.

3) November 15th – City Hall Hearing

Your voice matters! We need you’re presence and testimony at the hearing! Join us, get a rad t-shirt or button to show your support. Contact volunteercoordinator@portland.surfrider.org for more info.

Check out our new bus ads!

Bring Your Bag Outreach Week!

“Bring Your Bag“ Education and Outreach Week is Coming, Get involved!

Volunteer Opportunities

We’ve partnered with the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability to help educate the public about the city-wide plastic bag ban going into effect on October 15, 2011. We will be doing outreach at local grocery stores to remind the public to bring their reusable bags. Come join us at one or all of the following locations after the implementation of the plastic bag ban.

R.S.V.P. here by October 5th and get a FREE, LIMITED-EDITION “Bring Your Bag logo” t-shirt for volunteering!

Volunteer Locations and times

• Saturday, Oct. 15th, 10a.m. – 4p.m. (Locations TBD)
• Sunday, Oct. 16th, 10a.m. – 12p.m., Jantzen Beach Target (1400 N. Jantzen Ave.)
• Monday, Oct. 17th, 5 – 7p.m., NE Safeway (5920 NE Martin Luther King Blvd.)
• Tuesday, Oct. 18th, 5 – 7p.m., QFC in Sellwood (6411 SE Milwaukie Ave.)
• Wednesday, Oct. 19th, 5 – 7p.m., SE Safeway (4515 SE Woodstock)
• Thursday, Oct. 20th, 5 – 7p.m., SE Fred Meyer (5253 SE 82nd Ave.)

Portland Bans the Bag!

Portland Bans the Bag from Mayor Sam Adams on Vimeo.

After many years of educating, organizing and solid grassroots activism, on July 21, 2011, Portland City Mayor and Commissioners voted unanimously to ban plastic check out bags in the city of Portland. Showing tremendous leadership on this issue and staying true to his and the council’s resolution last April, Mayor Sam Adams declared this the first small step, in joining with cities across the nation and even countries world wide to promote reusable bags and reduce our consumption of single use plastics. It’s been a long path for the Portland Chapter and the many other organizations who joined this fight. I remember 4 years ago quite distinctly sitting in a room off east burnside with about 5-7 people, who got really motivated to start doing something to Rise Above Plastics. The issue saw through 2.5 executive council terms on the chapter, jumped from 5-7 core chapter organizers to 15-20, activists and supporter engagement jumped from the 100s, to 1000s, to over 10,000. Delayed for a year, the issue went statewide, a bill was drafted and swiftly entered the capitol. Going through a tough session and a strong plastic lobby, the bill failed during the 2011 session and the chapter stayed focus on their original goal for Portland…and Portland BANNED THE BAG!

Rally Time Portland!

We need YOU July 21st, 3:00pm at City Hall!

This coming Thursday, July 21st at 3:00 pm, we will be assembling again outside of  City Hall @ 1221 SW 4th Ave. prior to a hearing on a plastic bag ordinance for the City of Portland. Just like last year, there will be lot’s of fun, bag monsters and more! RSVP, wear your BAN the BAG t-shirt, and if you don’t have one –  get one for FREE on arrival (but make sure you RSVP with your size).

We’ll be ushering in to pack the City Hall chambers around 3:30 pm. Public hearing will go till 4:30pm. Mayor and City Commissions plan to make their final vote at this time, so don’t miss this once in a life-time opportunity to help make sustainable changes in your PDX City!

Portland Mayor Sam Adams and City Commissioners are making good on their commitment to see this issue through for the City of Portland upon the recent shortcomings of the statewide bill this legislative session. We’ve been patient, we’ve worked hard for this and we hope you’ll join us to share this opportunity to see this issue through for Portland once and for all.