A coalition of Laredo City officials, civic organizations and concerned citizens is urging the business community and the shopping public to “Love Laredo B.I.G. (Bag It Green!)” by avoiding the use of thin plastic shopping bags.
In response to the recent Texas Supreme Court ruling that struck down the City of Laredo’s plastic bag ordinance, concerned citizens gathered Tuesday to formalize a new city-wide campaign and solidify a growing movement of people who believe that plastic bags are an environmental problem that can be avoided.
“Three years ago, Laredoans were given the opportunity to live in a cleaner city and share the responsibilities of using recyclable bags; we learned a lesson that would benefit us for the rest of our lives,” said Love Laredo member Beatriz G. Vidales. “It is a mistake to now want to return to the use of plastic bags. This means to go backwards in education. The simplest form is best, so let us return to basics: Only reusable plastic bags like our mothers would use. Let us value this excellent lesson.”
Love Laredo B.I.G. will focus on a citywide awareness campaign urging retailers to not offer the thin plastic bags at their stores, and encouraging the public to keep using their reusable bags.
Businesses that pledge to join the Love Laredo B.I.G. movement are asked to not offer the thin plastic bags at their stores and to train their employees to encourage customers to love Laredo and bring their own bags.
In exchange, these businesses will be publicly recognized on social media platforms and will be featured on all components of the multi-media campaign. City officials will also provide them with materials to place inside their businesses to remind customers.
To date Spec’s Wines Spirits & Finer Foods, La India Packing Co., Global Tooling Specialties, and the Sisters of Mercy are among the first businesses and groups to join this campaign.
Mayor Pete Saenz Jr. applauded the efforts of community members to unite and form the Love Laredo B.I.G. campaign “Our citizens love Laredo and we all want to see a healthier and more beautiful city,” Saenz said.
City Manager Horacio De León Jr. also lauded the civic effort of those working to heighten environmental awareness by refusing to use white plastic bags. “I thank our city employees, the Rio Grande International Study Center, and everyone involved in this community-wide effort to continue the practice of refusing single use plastic bags, reusing their own bags, and reducing waste for the betterment of Laredo,” he said.
John Porter, director of the city’s Environmental Services Dept. and who was instrumental in drafting the ordinance that passed in 2014, said that as a result of the Supreme Court decision to rescind the ordinance, he is anticipating a 13 to 15 percent increase in costs related to creek and storm system cleaning.
“Today, Laredo is a much cleaner city as a result of the ordinance that was in place for three years,” said Tricia Cortez, RGISC Executive Director. “Let’s not go back to the days when you saw plastic bags clogging our drains and littering our streets, creeks and natural environment.”
Prior to the 2015 City of Laredo ordinance making it unlawful for local stores to offer the single-use bags at checkout, more than 120 million of these plastic bags were consumed in Laredo.
Posts flooded social media after the Texas Supreme Court decision demonstrating an outpouring of support for a cleaner Laredo without thin plastic shopping bags. In compliance with the ban, many large retailers have issued heavier plastic reusable bags, as well as earth-friendly paper bags. The campaign aims to have them stay the course with their commitment to Laredo.
“There has been such a tremendous momentum of people who love Laredo and want to keep it clean,” said Love Laredo member Rebecca C. Sepulveda. “We need everyone, the business community and the public, to join us,” she said.
Girl Scout Troop 9120 leader Vanessa Gallegos, a mother of three, said, “Our kids are our future. Let’s go B.I.G. by taking a step forward and making our city a better place to live, Let’s nurture Laredo like we do our children. Take the pledge and Bag It Green!”
For more information, call the RGISC office at (956) 718-1063.
Love Laredo B.I.G. (Bag It Green!) Founding Members:
Alma Acevedo
Grezia Barrera
Melissa R. Cigarroa
Tricia Cortez
Cathy De Leon
Thelma Fraga
Vanessa Gallegos
Patricia Gonzalez
Maria Eugenia “Meg” Guerra
Lizet Hinojosa
Priscilla Iglesias
Lucia Juarez
Juan Livas
Tracey King
Nadja Lopez
Daniel Maldonado
Alyce McCain
Julia Orduna
John Porter
John Praska
Andres Rodriguez
Lauren San Miguel
Tanya E. San Miguel
Ivan Santoyo
Rebecca C. Sepulveda
Sister Rosemary Welsh
Sister Maria Luisa Vera
Beatriz G. Vidales
