[PDM Info] URGENT -- Please call Today to Pass the Massachusetts Bag Bill

[Brad Verter]

Click to contact key legislators

View this email in your browser (https://mailchi.mp/massgreen/call-env-bond-bill-committee-today?e=69bd1ff9e4)
Take Action Today to Reduce Bags!
A group of legislators are currently working on a joint version of the Environmental Bond Bill (https://Org.us13.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ea6ffcc47584979bc4dcd3076&id=8be757612f&e=69bd1ff9e4) . The members of this conference committee will determine whether or not a statewide bag bill remains part of the bill.  Please call or write today to make sure that it does.
To send an email to the Committee click here! (mailto:rep.smitty at mahouse.gov, David.Nangle at mahouse.gov, Donald.Berthiaume at mahouse.gov, anne.gobi at masenate.gov, William.Brownsberger at masenate.gov,
Donald.Humason at masenate.gov?subject=Please%20SUPPORT%20A%20BAG%20LAW%20as%20part%20of%20the%20Environmental%20Bond%20Bill&body=Dear%20Environmental%20Bond%20Bill%20Conference%20Members%2C%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%20I%20am%20writing%20to%20ask%20that%20you%20include%20the%20statewide%20plastic%20bag%20law%20in%20the%20final%20version%20of%20the%20Environmental%20Bond%20Bill.%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3EOver%2080%20cities%20and%20towns%20in%20Massachusetts%20have%20passed%20laws%20banning%20single%20use%20plastic%20bags.%20It%20will%20be%20helpful%20to%20everyone%2C%20especially%20retailers%2C%20to%20have%20a%20consistent%20policy%20throughout%20the%20Commonwealth.%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%20A%20statewide%20bag%20law%20will%20not%20only%20protect%20our%20environment.%20It%20will%20also%20save%20taxpayers%20millions%20of%20dollars%20each%20year.%20Without%20regulations%2C%20over%203.6%20billion%20plastic%20bags%20would%20be%20used%20annually%20in%20the%20Commonwealth%20of%20Massachusetts%20alon
e%2C%20including%20over%202.1%20billion%20thin-film%20grocery%20bags.%20The%20plastic%20bag%20industry%20collects%20%244%20billion%20per%20year%20in%20profits%20from%20US%20retailers%2C%20who%20pass%20the%20costs%20on%20to%20customers.%20%20If%20there%20were%20no%20bag%20laws%2C%20local%20retailers%20Massachusetts%20alone%20would%20spend%20over%20%24145.7%20million%20per%20year%20on%20plastic%20bags%2C%20including%20almost%20%2431.6%20million%20for%20thin-film%20grocery%20bags.%20And%20this%20does%20not%20include%20the%20millions%20of%20dollars%20spent%20by%20municipalities%20in%20Massachusetts%20to%20clean%20and%20dispose%20of%20over%20100%20tons%20of%20plastic%20bags%20each%20month.%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%20More%20than%20one%20out%20of%20three%20Massachusetts%20residents%20lives%20in%20a%20city%20or%20town%20that%20has%20voted%20to%20reduce%20plastic%20bags.%20%20And%20many%20more%20communities%20are%20working%20on%20bylaws%20and%20ordinances%20right%20now.%20%20Please%20ful
fill%20the%20wishes%20of%20the%20people%20of%20Massachusetts%20to%20reduce%20plastic%20waste%2C%20develop%20a%20consistent%20policy%2C%20and%20save%20money%20by%20supporting%20the%20bag%20law%20as%20part%20of%20the%20Environmental%20Bond%20Bill.%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%20Thank%20you%20for%20your%20leadership%20in%20this%20matter.%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3EBest%20regards%2C%20%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E)
A Model Email to the Committee
TO:

Rep. Smitty Pignatelli >
Rep. David Nangle >
Rep. Donald Berthiaume >
Sen. Anne Gobi >
Sen. William Brownsberger >
Sen. Donald Humason

SUBJECT:

Please SUPPORT A BAG LAW as part of the Environmental Bond Bill

TEXT

Dear Environmental Bond Bill Conference Members,

I am writing to ask that you include the statewide plastic bag law in the final version of the Environmental Bond Bill.

Over 80 cities and towns in Massachusetts have passed laws banning single use plastic bags. It will be helpful to everyone, especially retailers, to have a consistent policy throughout the Commonwealth.

A statewide bag law will not only protect our environment. It will also save taxpayers millions of dollars each year. Without regulations, over 3.6 billion plastic bags would be used annually in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts alone, including over 2.1 billion thin-film grocery bags. The plastic bag industry collects $4 billion per year in profits from US retailers, who pass the costs on to customers. If there were no bag laws, local retailers Massachusetts alone would spend over $145.7 million per year on plastic bags, including almost $31.6 million for thin-film grocery bags. And this does not include the millions of dollars spent by municipalities in Massachusetts to clean and dispose of over 100 tons of plastic bags each month.

More than one out of three Massachusetts residents lives in a city or town that has voted to reduce plastic bags.  And many more communities are working on bylaws and ordinances right now.  Please fulfill the wishes of the people of Massachusetts to reduce plastic waste, develop a consistent policy, and save money by supporting the bag law as part of the Environmental Bond Bill.

Thank you for your leadership in this matter.

Best regards,

To send the above email to the Committee click here! (mailto:rep.smitty at mahouse.gov, David.Nangle at mahouse.gov, Donald.Berthiaume at mahouse.gov, anne.gobi at masenate.gov, William.Brownsberger at masenate.gov,
Donald.Humason at masenate.gov?subject=Please%20SUPPORT%20A%20BAG%20LAW%20as%20part%20of%20the%20Environmental%20Bond%20Bill&body=Dear%20Environmental%20Bond%20Bill%20Conference%20Members%2C%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%20I%20am%20writing%20to%20ask%20that%20you%20include%20the%20statewide%20plastic%20bag%20law%20in%20the%20final%20version%20of%20the%20Environmental%20Bond%20Bill.%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3EOver%2080%20cities%20and%20towns%20in%20Massachusetts%20have%20passed%20laws%20banning%20single%20use%20plastic%20bags.%20It%20will%20be%20helpful%20to%20everyone%2C%20especially%20retailers%2C%20to%20have%20a%20consistent%20policy%20throughout%20the%20Commonwealth.%20%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%20A%20statewide%20bag%20law%20will%20not%20only%20protect%20our%20environment.%20It%20will%20also%20save%20taxpayers%20millions%20of%20dollars%20each%20year.%20Without%20regulations%2C%20over%203.6%20billion%20plastic%20bags%20would%20be%20used%20annually%20in%20the%20Commonwealth%20of%20Massachusetts%20alon
e%2C%20including%20over%202.1%20billion%20thin-film%20grocery%20bags.%20The%20plastic%20bag%20industry%20collects%20%244%20billion%20per%20year%20in%20profits%20from%20US%20retailers%2C%20who%20pass%20the%20costs%20on%20to%20customers.%20%20If%20there%20were%20no%20bag%20laws%2C%20local%20retailers%20Massachusetts%20alone%20would%20spend%20over%20%24145.7%20million%20per%20year%20on%20plastic%20bags%2C%20including%20almost%20%2431.6%20million%20for%20thin-film%20grocery%20bags.%20And%20this%20does%20not%20include%20the%20millions%20of%20dollars%20spent%20by%20municipalities%20in%20Massachusetts%20to%20clean%20and%20dispose%20of%20over%20100%20tons%20of%20plastic%20bags%20each%20month.%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%20More%20than%20one%20out%20of%20three%20Massachusetts%20residents%20lives%20in%20a%20city%20or%20town%20that%20has%20voted%20to%20reduce%20plastic%20bags.%20%20And%20many%20more%20communities%20are%20working%20on%20bylaws%20and%20ordinances%20right%20now.%20%20Please%20ful
fill%20the%20wishes%20of%20the%20people%20of%20Massachusetts%20to%20reduce%20plastic%20waste%2C%20develop%20a%20consistent%20policy%2C%20and%20save%20money%20by%20supporting%20the%20bag%20law%20as%20part%20of%20the%20Environmental%20Bond%20Bill.%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E%20Thank%20you%20for%20your%20leadership%20in%20this%20matter.%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3EBest%20regards%2C%20%20%3Cbr%3E%20%3Cbr%3E)
Do You Have Time to Make a Call?
If so, please contact the member of the Committee who most needs to hear from you:

Rep. Donald Berthiaume (R-Spencer)
617-722-2090
Tell him:  "My name is ___________, and I am a resident of Massachusetts. I am calling to ask the representative to SUPPORT a bag law as part of the environmental bond bill."

Other members of the Committee will also be happy to hear from you:

Sen. Donald Humason (R-Westfield): 617-722-1415
Rep. Smitty Pignatelli (D-Lenox): 617-722-2210
Rep. David Nangle (D-Lowell): 617-722-2520
Sen. Anne Gobi (D-Ware): 617-722-1540
Sen. William Brownsberger (D-Belmont): 617-722-1280

There are only a few days left!
The Environmental Bond Bill has to be signed, sealed, and delivered by July 31st.  If we are going to pass a bag law this session, it has to happen now.


Thanks so much,
Brad Verter
Founder, Mass Green Network

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