Ban the Bag Oregon!

Victory! On June 11th, 2019 the Oregon Senate passed HB 2509, Oregon's Sustainable Shopping Intitative, banning plastic checkout bags at retail establishments and restaurants throughout the state. The Governor officially signed the bill into law a week later - read the full write up here. 

Following our chapters' grassroots work to pass plastic bag ordinances in over a dozen cities in Oregon and several currently underway (Newport, Coos Bay, Waldport, Tillamook, etc.), we've launched the new statewide Sustainable Shopping campaign in partnership with the Northwest Grocery Association and other environmental groups! Throughout the years, Surfrider has built a strong working relationship with grocery industry lobby. Sitting in literally hundreds of hearings and city council meetings around the state over the years, we've learned not only how to work together rather than against each other on plastic bag policy, but how to continue crafting and improving the policy for the most environmentally and business-friendly outcomes. All that work, in over a dozen cities over the past decade of local advocacy has led us to today, where we've finally arrived with statewide legislation, HB 2509, that promotes the use of reusable bags, bans plastic checkout bags and requires retailers to charge for paper checkout bags. 

You can take action!

If you live in the state of Oregon, show support for the “Sustainable Shopping Initiative by contacting your elected officials and letting them know you want to ban the bag!