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A Solution Not in the Bag

Plastic bags litter our roadways, lakes and creeks, contaminate Puget Sound, and harm Washington’s wildlife. Animals can ingest these bags, choke on them, or be exposed to toxic chemicals carried on the plastic.

Voluntary efforts, including recycling programs, have proved insufficient to prevent plastic pollution. In fact, plastic bags actually cause problems for Washington’s recycling industry. When plastic bags are part of mixed recyclables, they get caught in machinery, shutting down recycling operations. Responding to an Environment Washington Research & Policy Center survey, 70 percent of Washington recycling companies want plastic bags out of the waste stream.

There is a simple solution: Cities in Washington, and the state as a whole, can ban single-use plastic bags.

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News Release | Environment Washington

New Report: Recycling Cannot Solve Plastic Bag Problem

Plastic bags threaten marine wildlife and recycling won’t solve the problem according to a new report released today by Environment Washington, a citizen-based advocacy group that won a ban on plastic bags in Seattle. While the plastics industry admits there is a problem with plastic pollution, it insists recycling can solve it. According to a new report from Environment Washington, A Solution Not in the Bag, recycling is not the answer.

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News Release | Environment Washington

House Transportation Bill Drives Us to Deeper Oil Dependence

This afternoon, Representative John Mica (R-FL), Chairman of the House of Representatives Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, officially introduced a major transportation reauthorization bill. The overall plan for the bill includes proposals to open the Atlantic and Pacific coasts as well as the pristine Arctic National Wildlife Refuge to drilling, and to open landscapes in Colorado, Utah and Wyoming to oil shale extraction. At the same time, it cuts all funding for biking and walking safety and cripples environmental review for transportation projects. On top of this, Speaker of the House John Boehner has said that he would attach approval of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline to this bill if it were not otherwise immediately approved.

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News Release | Environment Washington

President Obama Expected to Stand Up to Big Oil on Keystone XL Pipeline

President Obama stood up to Big Oil’s latest attack on our health and environment by rejecting the Keystone XL pipeline. While Congressional Republicans work tirelessly for Big Oil, President Obama is taking concrete steps to reduce our dependence on oil and to build a cleaner, healthier future for American families.

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News Release | Environment Washington

Legislator Resolves to Protect Puget Sound Wildlife

Representative Joe Fitzgibbon (D-34) held a press conference earlier today to announce legislation aimed at protecting Puget Sound wildlife and the environment from harmful plastic bag pollution. The legislation is modeled on ordinances adopted recently in Bellingham, Mukilteo and Seattle, and would ban most disposable plastic bags at retailers. Representatives from Environment Washington and Fred Meyer expressed their strong support for the bill.

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Report | Environment Washington Research & Policy Center

Dirty Energy's Assault on Our Health: Mercury Pollution

Our dependence on oil and coal-fired power plants has broad detrimental impacts on our health and our environment. Power plants represent America’s single biggest source of air pollution, affecting our waterways, destroying ecosystems, and polluting the air we breathe. Pollution from coal-fired power plants in particular contributes to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the United States: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic respiratory diseases. This report looks at the health and environmental impacts of mercury pollution from power plants.

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Featured Staff

Katrina Rosen

Field Director

Research & Policy Results

A brighter future for wind and solar.

By tapping the energy of the sun hitting the rooftops of Washington and the power of the wind blowing across the state, we can meet the energy needs of every household. New policies we helped win will bring us closer to realizing that potential by making it easier to build wind farms and to put solar panels on our roofs.

At 54.5 mpg, a big step forward for clean cars.

On July 29th, President Obama announced the outline of new clean car standards covering cars and light trucks through 2025, which will amount to the single biggest step this country has ever taken to end our addiction to oil and tackle global warming.

Thousands speak out for clean water.

After thousands of members of Environment Washington and our sister organizations urged the EPA to act, Administrator Jackson announced a plan to restore Clean Water Act protections. We’ve since delivered more than 100,000 public comments in support of clean water protections. We need your help to make sure the public’s voice is heard above the din of corporate lobbyists and special interests.

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Building a greener future

Environment Washington Research & Policy Center gratefully accept bequests, beneficiary designations of IRAs and life insurance, and gifts of securities to support our work. Your gift will assure that we can continue to protect Washington's air, water and open spaces for future generations.

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Environment Washington Research & Policy Center works closely with Environment Washington, a 501 (c)(4) organization. Click here to visit the Environment Washington website.

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