Marin County Bag Ban

Surfrider Foundation Marin Chapter and other non profits teamed up to persuade Marin County to ban single use bags. “We started this with Surfrider Foundation Marin three years ago,” said David McGuire, Rise Above Plastics Coordinator for Surfrider Marin and Director of the ocean non profit Sea Stewards. “There was a lot of initial support by the Supervisors, but AB 1998 delayed the local initiative. Following the defeat of the state bill, we regrouped with other non profits, including Green Sangha and pushed the initiative forward. There was some resistance from the industry and a call for an Environmental Review and other CEQA entanglements but the Supervisors stood strong.”

Over a million bags find there way into the Bay annually. “We clean up thousands of pounds of plastic each year outside the Golden Gate. Initiatives like this will limit plastic pollution and help conserve our sensitive marine ecosystems and marine life.”

The bag ban was subsequently challenged in court, but the County prevailed: