Every year residents of Los Angeles County use an estimated 6 billion plastic bags (of which only a small percentage is recycled), with a majority ending up in landfills, as litter in our neighborhoods, and in the ocean. The City of Manhattan Beach has taken a stand against single-use plastic bags, and is proud to support the annual Heal the Bay "Day Without a Bag" initiative on Thursday, December 16th. Leading up to that event, Mayor Richard Montgomery will discuss the legal challenges and policy goals of the City's plastic bag ordinance during the Day Without a Bag Summit on Wednesday, December 15, 2010.

Mayor Montgomery is one of several visionary leaders selected to share their expertise and knowledge surrounding a local government's efforts to ban plastic bags. The goal of the Summit is to discuss with municipalities and community leaders the ins and outs of creating a bag reduction policy, and to show community activists how to encourage their cities to take steps towards passing a model single use bag ordinance. 
 
The Summit will help cities understand the essential elements in moving forward with a bag ban such as addressing legal and economic issues and choosing the right partners. Summit attendees will explore lessons learned from the County of Los Angeles and other communities as they share experiences on efforts to ban plastic bags.

If you are interested in learning more about the movement to ban plastic bags, then please join Mayor Montgomery on December 15th at 8:30 AM. To RSVP for this event, please visit Heal the Bay’s website. Space is limited, and if you plan to view the event via webcast, a confirmation notice will be sent to you. 

And don't forget to visit City Hall or the Roundhouse Aquarium on Thursday, December 16th to receive your own reusable bag! For more information on the City's plastic bag ban efforts, please visit our Going Green website.