Today’s spotlight is on Trash Free Maryland.
This organization is engaged in the important work of
keeping garbage out of our ecosystem.
They are focused on advocating for public policy solutions that
encourage environmentally responsible behaviors – such as bag bills that
promote the use of reusable shopping bags and bottle bills that boost beverage container recycling
efforts.
Regarding the latter, Michigan has a redemption rate of over
95% of the items covered in the Michigan Beverage Container Act (enacted in
1976, implemented in 1978). The 10-cent
deposit rate, of course, provides a significant incentive to recycle those items.
Our new Attorney General-Elect, Senator Brian Frosh, has
been an ardent proponent of similar legislation for Maryland, arguing that it
would improve our environment, among other benefits. Funds generated by such a program could be
directed toward specific purposes, such as cleaning up the Chesapeake Bay.
On the Bag Bill front, only three jurisdictions have the
legal authority to impose fees on stores that give out disposable bags:
Baltimore City, Baltimore County, and Montgomery County. The Howard County Council does not possess
that authority. The most direct path to
bring about such a fee in HoCo would be if a statewide bill passed in
Annapolis. Another option would be an
outright statewide ban of disposable bags.
Of course, fee or ban, the question remains: Would the Governor-elect
sign such legislation? If he doesn’t,
could Hogan be considered “pro-trash?”
How would that play out in 2018?
But let us put aside electoral considerations for the
moment. Given the general human aversion
to unclean air and water, there are opportunities for bipartisan collaboration
when it comes to the environment.
Litter is neither a Republican nor a Democratic problem, it impacts us
all and incurs significant societal costs.
Hopefully, progress can be made in 2015 to reduce the blight of trash in
our waterways, by our roads, and in our communities. To that end, I am glad that Trash Free
Maryland is forming alliances with community organizations and working to find
practical solutions to combat litter.
For more information about Trash Free Maryland, check out
their website at:
Stay tuned, as more will follow.
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