By Erin Cardone - Saanich News - January 02, 2007
Proposal to ban plastic bags not a CRD decision
Lana Popham did her homework in preparation for a presentation to the Capital Regional District board. Popham is lobbying for an all-out ban on disposable plastic bags from the region.
She collected statistics and signatures, did interviews and gave herself a pep talk.
It all culminated in eight minutes in front of the Solid Waste Advisory Committee in December. The Saanich resident was allowed to state her case only to learn she was presenting to the wrong audience.
“They told me that it was not a CRD issue and it was up to individual municipalities,” Popham said.
Despite the minor setback, her crusade isn’t over. Popham has scheduled a meeting with the municipality of North Saanich in January to make her presentation there.
She’ll move on to the region’s 12 other municipalities, asking each to ban plastic bags.
“I feel really hopeful,” Popham said. “I’ve had so much public support, so that keeps me going.”
In fact, Popham should have started her quest in front of individual municipalities, says Saanich’s municipal solicitor Chris Nation.
“Municipal council would do a consultation with the business community - grocery and retail stores that use plastic bags,” Nation said.
He added consultations with other interest groups, such as environmental groups, should take place. “Then council would ask staff to prepare a bylaw.”
Forming a bylaw, Nation said, wouldn’t have to go through a formal public hearing process.
Rather, councillors would either push it though or shut it down at a council meeting.
Popham has also asked to meet with the municipality of Saanich “as soon as possible” to get talking about the ban.
ecardone@saanichnews.com
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for the Provincial Constituency of Saanich South, Victoria, B.C.
- Lana Popham
- Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Elected as a Member of the British Columbia Legislative Assembly for the Constituency of Saanich South on May 12, 2009. New Democratic Opposition Critic for the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. Raised on Quadra Island and has an undergraduate degree from the University of British Columbia. Extensive track record as a community leader, advocate and environmental activist.
Community History
- Member of the Legislative Assembly of B.C., 2009-
- Planning Transportation & Economic Development Committee - Saanich
- Peninsula Agricultural Commission - Commissioner
- Island Organic Producers Association - Chair of the Certification Committee
- Agri-Food Initiative Advisory Committee
- Central Saanich Little League - Treasurer
- Brentwood Elementary School - Compost Committee
Visit me on Facebook!
There is more to me than plastic bags.....
Nomination
SAANICH – Lana Popham, local business owner and community activist, was nominated on March 8th in Saanich South as the New Democrat candidate for the May 12 provincial election.
“I’ve spent my whole life speaking up, speaking out and speaking for things I believe in,” Popham told over 100 supporters today.
Popham said she is looking forward to holding Gordon Campbell and the B.C. Liberals to account by running in the May election with Carole James and the New Democrats.
“Gordon Campbell is not in the business of representing communities, he’s not in the business of representing you or me – he’s in the business of mis-representing our interests,” said Popham. “I am proud to be from Saanich and have the experience and drive to take our community’s concerns to the Legislature.”
Popham owns and operates The Barking Dog Vineyard - a successful Saanich small business and the first Certified Organic Vineyard on Vancouver Island – and is currently chair of the Certification Committee for Island Organic Producers Association and past President of the Vancouver Island Grape Growers Association. She’s a member of Saanich’s Planning Transportation & Economic Development Committee and is an active parent at her son’s school.
Popham’s “Think Outside the Bag” campaign has been a very successful on the ground environmental initiative that encourages people to switch to reusable bags.
With the support of her husband Jon, a firefighter for Oak Bay, and their 10 year old son, Popham is already campaigning to win a seat in the Legislature on May 12.
Books I love.....
- The Death and Life of Great American Cities - Jane Jacobs
- In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
- The Geography of Nowhere - James Howard Kunstler
- Heat :How to stop the planet from burning - George Monbiot
- The Long Emergency - James Howard Kunstler
- Urban Meltdown - Clive Doucet
- Home From Nowhere - James Howard Kunstler
- Urban Nation - Alan Broadbent
- The Economies of Cities - Jane Jacobs
- Dark Age Ahead - Jane Jacobs
- Farmageddon - Brewster kneen
Michael Pollan
Climate Change
Some interesting letters I have received:
Hi,
I listened to the discussion on the radio about plastic bags this morning. Seven years ago, when I immigrated to Canada from Germany I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw how plastic bags are used here. Back in Germany we’ve charge for them for years and it is normal to use baskets and cotton bags. Also, most stores have a corner where they pile up the boxes they receive the goods in and people are free to use them. Plastic bags are completely out and you almost feel bad if you have to buy one.
We are so behind here and it is truly just a question of habit, not convenience. I am glad there are signs that things will become more environmentally friendly over here.
Carola Daffner
Dear Lana
I wholeheartedly support your campaign to ban disposable plastic bags and wonder, since they have caused such harm to so much of our environment and promise to do so way into the future, why they were presented for general use and why were we allowed ... encouraged? ... to use them in the first place. Someone must have known!
I live in View Royal where concern has prompted the town's use of bio-degradable dog litter bags and now also, more recently, some action toward using bio-degradable plastic garbage bags. Are they really bio-degradable and part of a solution?
More questions:( rhetorical, since I don't expect replies..you are busy enough)
Is recycling of soft plastic available in the CRD? Presumably, not. Do you know why? What really has been happening to the grocery bags that we have been returning in good faith to the grocery stores?
Thank you for your caring and dedication
Andria
I listened to the discussion on the radio about plastic bags this morning. Seven years ago, when I immigrated to Canada from Germany I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw how plastic bags are used here. Back in Germany we’ve charge for them for years and it is normal to use baskets and cotton bags. Also, most stores have a corner where they pile up the boxes they receive the goods in and people are free to use them. Plastic bags are completely out and you almost feel bad if you have to buy one.
We are so behind here and it is truly just a question of habit, not convenience. I am glad there are signs that things will become more environmentally friendly over here.
Carola Daffner
Dear Lana
I wholeheartedly support your campaign to ban disposable plastic bags and wonder, since they have caused such harm to so much of our environment and promise to do so way into the future, why they were presented for general use and why were we allowed ... encouraged? ... to use them in the first place. Someone must have known!
I live in View Royal where concern has prompted the town's use of bio-degradable dog litter bags and now also, more recently, some action toward using bio-degradable plastic garbage bags. Are they really bio-degradable and part of a solution?
More questions:( rhetorical, since I don't expect replies..you are busy enough)
Is recycling of soft plastic available in the CRD? Presumably, not. Do you know why? What really has been happening to the grocery bags that we have been returning in good faith to the grocery stores?
Thank you for your caring and dedication
Andria