The Green Committee has stepped up our efforts to raise awareness about the impact of single use plastics.
You may have seen us making or sharing T-shirt bags at local events, or maybe you’ve agreed to the “Drop That Bag” challenge and have started bringing your own bags when shopping.
We now have a powerful tool to help; NJ’s Plastic Pollution Reduction legislation, a comprehensive set of measures to reduce the amount of single use plastics in the state, will go into effect in May of 2022.
Many people are not aware of this new law, and many others haven’t really stopped to consider the impact of single use plastics on the environment. We partnered with the Hammonton Environmental Commission and Single Use Plastics (SUP) Hammonton to create the Leviathan; part sea monster, part art installation, part educational tool. Keep an eye out for this mythical creature and make sure to enter the beast to learn more about New Jersey’s plastic problem and what YOUcan do about it.
We collected more than 500 lbs. of plastic bags (that’s a lot of plastic!!) at various locations throughout town through a Trex program that recycles bags into plastic lumber products. As a reward for completing this challenge, we received a bench made of Trex recycled lumber – stop by the Community Garden and check it out.
We’re now working toward a second 500 pound collection goal! Look for the containers at Town Hall and the Hammonton Library. If your business, church or school would like to particpate and host a collection box, email us!
Want to make your own reusable bag? Old tee-shirts make great shopping bags! Washable, packable, sturdy and fun. This is a great way to recycle your old favorites. No sewing skills needed!
Check out this video to learn how: How to make a no-sew t-shirt bag
For other resources, check out the links below:
Hammonton Green Committee 