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Home My WebLink AboutCM Single-Use Bag Reporti'Agenda Item No: 3ef Meeting Date: Au ust 18, 1 SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT Department: CITY MANAGER Prepared by: Diana Lee, Outreach Assistant, Sustainability City Manager Approval: Proaram BACKGROUND: The San Rafael City Council adopted th e- Single Use Carryout Bag Reduction Ordinance on March 4, 2014. Passing the Ordinance was one of the implementation measures in the City's Climate Action Plan, LF17, which called for investigating options for banning non -recyclable single -use items such as, plastic bags and expanded polystyrene foam. Some of the main features in the Ordinance include the following: Single -use plastic bags are no longer allowed at checkout. ➢ Paper bags must be at least 40% recycled content and cost at least ten cents at checkout. ➢ Vendors at public events must also comply with the above provisions. ➢ Reusable bags must be made available for purchase at stores. The Marin Hazardous and Solid Waste Management Joint Powers Authority (JPA) administers the annual Zero Waste Grant Program. The JPA offers grants to Member Agencies and Special Districts whose application identifies a program that works towards the Zero Waste Goal - In 2006, the JPA passed a Zero Waste resolution with the goal of 94 percent landfill diversion by 2025 (The diversion rate for Marin County is currently at 75 percent). Through the annual Zero Waste Grant, the City contracted two fellows through Climate Corps Bay Area (CCBA) to assist with the City's Sustainability Program. CCBA is a 10 -month fellowship program, administered through Strategic Energy Innovations, that provides professional development opportunities for emerging climate protection leaders through implementation of climate change resiliency projects with local governments, non -profits and for-profit businesses. Both Fellows, Diana Lee and Cassidy Anton, developed project scopes that included outreach for the City's Ordinance. The City's Sustainability and Volunteer Program Coordinator supervised both Fellows in designing and implementing outreach to San Rafael residents and 40 businesses. ANALYSIS: After the passing of the Ordinance, staff had six months to conduct outreach before the effective date of September 15, 2014. Staff and Fellows started by designing a plan through a Community -Based Social Marketing (CBSM) lens. CBSM is a pragmatic approach to designing, implementing, and promoting FOR CITY CLERK ONLY File No.: Gr7l Y 4 - a 6", Council Meeting-. lie i I Disposition: AMC k A ii 114 environmental programs to achieve actual behavior change. Fellows learned how to carefully select a behavior, identify its barriers and benefits, and develop a strategy that utilizes behavior -change tools. Fellows began crafting outreach with a CBSM approach by consulting numerous other cities of similar size and demographics about how they engaged the public with their ordinance, so that San Rafael could leverage other cities' lessons -learned and experience. The main finding was that most of the public already had reusable bags, but were not in the habit of bringing them. Staff and Fellows then structured outreach around this finding and finalized outreach goals as the following: (1) to raise awareness of the Ordinance and (2) to help the public develop the habit of bringing their own reusable bags. Staff and Fellows identified what could be done with the City's limited resources and what messaging and materials could be borrowed or reproduced from other municipalities that had already passed a single -use bag reduction ordinance, as well as from the JPA. Below is what has been done to date with public outreach, business outreach, and direct outreach at public events: ➢ Public Outreach V' Established relationships with key community leaders and organizations to help with direct outreach, such as tabling at events. ✓ Giveaways were specifically selected to help the public remember their bags including: shopping lists with the first item listed as, "Remember Your Bags," Chico bags designed as fruits, a steering wheel reminder with, "Grab Your Bags" printed on them, etc. (Examples of some materials are in shown Exhibit A.) ✓ Prioritized working with local vendors to order outreach materials wherever possible. v/ Designed and created a website, including a "Reusable Bag Tips" page. The website URL is: httr)://www.cityofsanrafael.org/bags ✓ Organized three direct outreach events at the Farmers' Market Festival prior to the Ordinance going into effect. ✓ Created marketing materials, including public signage and a news release. (Example shown in Exhibit B.) Business Outreach Identified 45 potential retailers affected by the Ordinance. Designed a business toolkit to understand what is required and how to be in compliance with the Ordinance. Developed an online "Business Compliance Checklist" with a short questionnaire to self -register as a business in compliance with the Ordinance requirements. Provided free, on site consultation with a Fellow to help businesses learn how to be in compliance. Designed Ordinance noticing postcard, which was sent to the 40 affected businesses. (Example shown in Exhibit C.) ==6115111W =1 Designed separate Ordinance noticing postcards specific to Farmers' Market requirements and exemptions. (Example shown in Exhibit C.) Conducted direct, in-person outreach to Farmers' Market Festival vendors to hand out postcards and answer questions. v/ Designed and constructed an interactive game to be held at the Community Booth at the Farmers' Market Festival to educate attendees and encourage them to remember their bags. Promotion of the Ordinance at public events officially started on August 7, 2014 at the Farmers' Market Festival, where Fellows engaged at least 70 members of the public. 11 i 0 A k RA A I Continue direct outreach at the Downtown San Rafael Farmers' Market Festival on September 4 th and 1 th 8 Host "Bring Your Own Bag" (BYOB) Week September 15 th through 20th . In conjunction with community organizations, BYOB Week will include direct outreach with giveaways and storefront signage at different retailers each day of the week. BYOB culminates in a beach and creek cleanup on September 201 2014 for California Coastal Cleanup Day, since single -use plastic bags are one of the main items picked up by volunteers each year. In addition, an option for future implementation is to observe the percentage of people at larger stores who bring their own reusable bags before and after the Ordinance goes into effect to determine how much behavior actually changed, as well as to observe any stores still in non-compliance. FISCAL IMPACT: The Fellows were fully funded through the JPA's annual Zero Waste Grant Fund, which San Rafael receives each year. Outreach and implementation for the Single Use Bag Reduction Ordinance have been also been funded through the JPA. The City's portion of these funds was: $10,707.32. To date, Staff and Fellows have spent: $1,032.50 on outreach and implementation. Once in effect, there may also be unknown, but most likely limited amounts of Code Enforcement staff time enforcing non-compliance. I �� 1 1 1111 1 1 1 ir U 11�11 1, 11, III IN 1 ii I i � "Mom EXHIBITS: A. Examples of giveaway materials B. Example of public signage and Farmers' Market booth C. Example of Ordinance noticing postcards to businesses and to Farmers' Market vendors REMEMBER TO BRING YO U R OWN BAGI, r3l.ml.". MSV-*IUWVM P.t H LOW Alk 13 r,Mun t. L single -use Pld�tk Bogs no longer # Poper Bogs must be 40% Recycled con tent and In-store produce and phomwy bogs ore stift permitted vvithout charge Schedule to help YOUr store become compliant • a • Verify your compliance t6 receive public recognition as an early adopter • Learn more about the Ordinance • Download free customer signage T-1 Sin-Useftstir:. Sags ronnor be given to Custom-ers. 111111111111 11�111 1111111q�p;q 111��I 11 qp1illpi p I � , # No plastic bags are proVided to customers, except handle4ess produce bags. All paper bags are made out of at least 4TA recycled content SiVe-use carryout paper bags will be charged a 10 c fee. Leam more about the ordinance at q�piq� INSTRUCTIONS: USE THIS FORM WITH EACH SUBMITTAL OF A CONTRACT, AGREEMENT, ORDINANCE OR RESOLUTION BITFORE APPROVAL BY COUNCIL / AGENCY. SRRA / SRCC AGENDA ITEM NO. DATE OF MEETING: .8/18Z14 FROM: Cory Bytof DEPARTMENT: for City Manager's Office_ DA A TE: 8/11/14 TITLE OFD CUNT: INFORMATIONAL REPORT FOR THE CITY'S SINGLE -USE BAG REDUCTION ORDINANCE ON, OUTREACH EFFORTS r Ile (LOWER HALF OF FORM FOR APPROVALS ONLY)