The Goleta City Council unanimously approved an ordinance regulating single-use foodware accessories and standard condiments following a presentation by Sustainability Program staff at the April 19, 2022, City Council meeting. This ordinance will bring Goleta into compliance with California Assembly Bill 1276, mandating that single-use foodware accessories and standard condiments be made available only upon request by the consumer. This ordinance is scheduled to return to the City Council on May 3 for a second reading on the Consent Calendar, and if adopted will take effect on the 31st day following adoption by the City Council.
In addition to single-use foodware being available only upon request, the ordinance will require food and beverage vendors to display signage stating that single-use items must be requested by consumers. An example of signage is below. Outreach is currently underway to identify best practices for how the City can support the local business community in fostering the switch from expanded polystyrene and single use plastics to more environmentally friendly alternatives.
Goleta Mayor Paula Perotte said, “We are excited that the City is taking steps to reduce its plastic waste and the burden of plastic pollution in the community. We hope this effort will create a more healthy, sustainable Goleta.”
The AB 1276 compliance ordinance will be the first of two expected ordinances seeking to regulate and reduce local single-use plastics and further divert waste from our landfills. Staff shared initial details of a second ordinance that the Sustainability Program is developing to further regulate single-use plastic use in our community. This second ordinance is expected, among other things, to ban expanded polystyrene (EPS) foodware, following over 120 jurisdictions across California that already have restrictions on EPS to improve the health of safety of their communities and environment.
To learn more about sustainability in Goleta, go to https://cityofgoleta.org/sustainability. You can also visit staff at the Earth Day celebration in Santa Barbara this Saturday April 23rd. The Sustainability and Environmental Services Divisions will have a table in front of the Arlington Theatre (1317 State Street) from 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.
I am glad of this. Currently, even when I specifically request “No fork, please,” I get one at least half the time. Can’t give it back, because by then it is considered contaminated.
I am glad of this. Currently, even when I specifically request “No fork, please,” I get one at least half the time. Can’t give it back, because by then it is considered contaminated.
Good deal!. Wish they will expand this to use green single use utensils.
Good deal!. Wish they will expand this to use green single use utensils.
Besides plastic utensils - but can’t some be washed? - what else are considered single use? Straws, paper plates (used probably only in picnics), …? I wish there was a link to the ordinance for a list or at least a clarifying description. And where does it apply, city restaurants, but take outs, as CostCo's, picnics at public places (or only public function picnics at public parks)? Can such still be sold in stores?
Besides plastic utensils - but can’t some be washed? - what else are considered single use? Straws, paper plates (used probably only in picnics), …? I wish there was a link to the ordinance for a list or at least a clarifying description. And where does it apply, city restaurants, but take outs, as CostCo's, picnics at public places (or only public function picnics at public parks)? Can such still be sold in stores?
Here's your link. https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1276
https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/billNavClient.xhtml?bill_id=202120220AB1276
I've participated in clean-ups. Plastic utensils and fast food containers are always in the litter along with beer cans/bottles. There would be more of the latter if independent street people didn't collect & return them for the refund. Another good step forward would be to charge a cent or two for packaged condiments. People grab handfuls without considering what they will use. Anything free to the end user tends to be worth less to them. That's why public parks get so littered.
I've participated in clean-ups. Plastic utensils and fast food containers are always in the litter along with beer cans/bottles. There would be more of the latter if independent street people didn't collect & return them for the refund. Another good step forward would be to charge a cent or two for packaged condiments. People grab handfuls without considering what they will use. Anything free to the end user tends to be worth less to them. That's why public parks get so littered.
This is great but please focus your energy on more important matters like homelessness and housing the working poor.
This is great but please focus your energy on more important matters like homelessness and housing the working poor.
Tinker, we can do more than one thing at a time. This is an important step that took decades to accomplish. Thank you Goleta.
Tinker, we can do more than one thing at a time. This is an important step that took decades to accomplish. Thank you Goleta.
Every September for six years my wife and I participated in a litter picking event inside Yosemite National Park as part of an annual event called Yosemite Facelift. In an nutshell, a few hundreds of people show up and spend 4 or 5 days scouring the park picking up the crap and crud tossed aside by the tourists. Every year, we collected hundreds of pounds of trash - sometimes thousands of pounds if someone decided to toss half a car down an embankment. But by far, the greatest amount of garbage we picked up was single use plastics. That, and diapers and cigarette butts. Not so many sporks and plastic knives, but an amazing amount of sippy straws from juice boxes. Zip baggies by the bazillions. Candy wrappers, Clif bar wrappers, yogurt cups and the lids from every Starbucks in a 50 mile radius from the park. Use it toss it keep driving and go ooh how pretty. The grossest crap were the diapers. I guarantee you, there is not one good sized hide-behind-it boulder within 50 feet of any road in the park that doesn't have a least one poop filled Huggie behind it. The bigger rocks next to photo opportunity turn-outs could have 30 or 40 of these gifts in a pile. Maybe they think it's organic because doesn't poop decompose? Not when wrapped in plastic it doesn't. And as for picking them up - even a buzzard would gag, but volunteers did it anyway. Next were the cigarette butts - literally thousands of these stinky bits ALL over the place. Maybe the tourists were from France - who knows. All we knew that way too many people still smoke and pretty much everyone who does seemingly has no problem tossing entire ashtrays full of these things onto every parking spot or turn out. Any law or ordinance that can put the brakes on this toss-it mentality, while it will surely irritate the masses who obviously don't care, will maybe, just maybe, keep the whole planet from turning into an above ground landfill for our filthy species.
Every September for six years my wife and I participated in a litter picking event inside Yosemite National Park as part of an annual event called Yosemite Facelift.
In an nutshell, a few hundreds of people show up and spend 4 or 5 days scouring the park picking up the crap and crud tossed aside by the tourists.
Every year, we collected hundreds of pounds of trash - sometimes thousands of pounds if someone decided to toss half a car down an embankment.
But by far, the greatest amount of garbage we picked up was single use plastics. That, and diapers and cigarette butts.
Not so many sporks and plastic knives, but an amazing amount of sippy straws from juice boxes. Zip baggies by the bazillions. Candy wrappers, Clif bar wrappers, yogurt cups and the lids from every Starbucks in a 50 mile radius from the park. Use it toss it keep driving and go ooh how pretty.
The grossest crap were the diapers. I guarantee you, there is not one good sized hide-behind-it boulder within 50 feet of any road in the park that doesn't have a least one poop filled Huggie behind it. The bigger rocks next to photo opportunity turn-outs could have 30 or 40 of these gifts in a pile. Maybe they think it's organic because doesn't poop decompose? Not when wrapped in plastic it doesn't. And as for picking them up - even a buzzard would gag, but volunteers did it anyway.
Next were the cigarette butts - literally thousands of these stinky bits ALL over the place. Maybe the tourists were from France - who knows. All we knew that way too many people still smoke and pretty much everyone who does seemingly has no problem tossing entire ashtrays full of these things onto every parking spot or turn out.
Any law or ordinance that can put the brakes on this toss-it mentality, while it will surely irritate the masses who obviously don't care, will maybe, just maybe, keep the whole planet from turning into an above ground landfill for our filthy species.
Parvopup, thanks for doing that clean up. I’m disgusted by the mentality of people who think it’s fine to throw their trash around.
Parvopup, thanks for doing that clean up. I’m disgusted by the mentality of people who think it’s fine to throw their trash around.
Many thanks for your efforts.
Many thanks for your efforts.
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