by Rama K. Ramaswamy
The Wellesley Natural Resources Commission, along with Sustainable Wellesley, launched their WasteWise Wellesley campaign, part of which is its latest accomplishment, the bag ban. New signs have gone up all around town and at the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility, featuring a new, graphic reminder to bring a reusable bag when shopping.
At the request of the NRC, the Board of Selectmen designated January as “Bring Your Own Bag Month,” as the town’s new bag bylaw kicks in on January 25 for stores which are 3,500 sq. feet and larger, and on April 12 for stores smaller than 3,500 sq. feet. Stephanie Hawkinson, Coordinator of Environmental Education and Outreach for the Wellesley Natural Resources Commission, said: “Wellesley resident and graphic designer Maria Kelleher created and donated the unique graphic for the NRC’s Bring Your Own Bag initiative.”
Residents bringing their recyclables and trash to the dump will notice a banner hanging over the roadway and signage reminding them to “BYO Bags” as the RDF no longer accepts plastic carry-out bags for recycling. Through January, sandwich boards and flyers promoting BYO Bag month will be strategically placed in town to further encourage residents to help reduce waste.
According to Hawkinson, “Bringing your own bag is the most environmentally friendly way to shop and it saves money for retailers, too. Did you know some retailers donate that savings when a customer brings their own bag? The clothing store Eileen Fisher donates $1 to Restore the Earth Foundation; at Roche Bros., 5 cents goes to Fisher House Boston to help military families; and at Whole Foods, 5 cents is donated to the Whole Earth Foundation to alleviate poverty. You can buy a unique Wellesley-themed reusable bag designed by WHS students at Roche Bros for $3.99! These bags are available near the customer service desk or at each checkout register”.
Businesses throughout town are working towards compliance with the new regulations. Earlier this month, CVS pharmacy debuted new paper bags that are made of 100% post-consumer recycled content and are 100% recyclable, as specified in the new bylaw.
In the coming weeks, the NRC will continue to work with businesses to help ease the transition to plastic bag-free shopping. Detailed information on the bag bylaw is available on the NRC webpage at http://www.wellesleyma.gov/Pages/WellesleyMA_NRC/index
Wellesley’s new bag bylaw and the BYO Bag initiative are all part of a broader campaign to reduce waste in town. For more than a year, the NRC has been partnering with the Wellesley Sustainable Energy Committee and the Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility to find new ways to implement the three Rs: reduce, reuse, and recycle. Thanks to a program sponsored by the US Environmental Protection Agency and the MA Department of Environmental Protection, this town-wide effort has a new name: “WasteWise Wellesley.”
Through the EPA’s national WasteWise program, Wellesley joins other communities and organizations throughout the country that have committed to reducing waste. Hawkinson spoke about how she felt about these new developments. “We are proud,” she said, “that Wellesley’s efforts are now officially part of a national movement to reduce waste and its damaging effects on the environment”.
