Break up with plastics

There have been changes in the legislature, but the issue of single-use plastic pollution is still holding steady and is, unfortunately, very visible on Oregon beaches. At noon on Friday, Feb. 12, Oregon Surfrider is hosting a special virtual meeting to encourage Oregonians to break up with single-use plastics and update them on what legislative actions may be happening in 2021.

Plastic lasts forever, which sounds romantic until you consider that virtually every plastic bag, straw, utensil or wrapper that has ever escaped into the environment is still out there, infiltrating water ways, being ingested by hundreds of different species and contributing to global litter.

During "Break Up with Plastics" you can not only learn more about what the Oregon legislature can do, but also how you can make your voice heard to help make it happen.

Invited guests include State Representatives Janeen Sollman, Sheri Schouten and Maxine Dexter, sponsors of House Bill 2592, which will require producers to form or join extended producer responsibility programs for packaging, food serviceware and printing and writing paper. Other guests in the virtual meeting include Environment Oregon, Oceana and the Oregon State Public Interest Research Group.

For more information including the Zoom meeting link, go to oregon.surfrider.org/events.