Episode 14: Reducing Plastic Pollution in Oakland

In this episode, we discuss proposed legislation to drastically reduce plastic pollution in Oakland, CA. As demand decreases for fossil fuels as a power source, we're seeing that the production of plastics is actually *increasing*. But California is pushing back. Oakland is working to become the next city to limit food and beverage containers currently choking our San Francisco Bay. As a member of Reusable Oakland, our guest explains the proposed city ordinance, why we need it, and the personal story of why he works so passionately on this issue.
Guest: Kwok Chan, co-chair of Climate Reality Bay Area's Alameda County Policy Squad
See a photo of our guest at: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mKShqSuyvkox1NPsoqje5Wsq5qVLsjfN/view?usp=sharing
Great Guest Quote: “We think we can participate actively in plastic waste reduction by limiting the use of disposable single-use food service ware.”
Host: Dalya Massachi
Transcript HERE: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1F8ZFL4Rd-muJxau1EvgR-wsE8Z6RbeXs5Wl3VYTehzw/edit?usp=drive_link
Related Websites:
Climate Reality Bay Area’s Alameda County Policy Action Squad’s email newsletter signup: crbaalamedasquad@gmail.com
Stop Waste’s Model Legislation on Food Service Packaging Reduction and Reuse:  https://www.stopwaste.org/resource/stopwaste-model-ordinance-for-food-service-packaging-reduction-and-reuse
Environmental Protection Agency list of high-priority toxic chemicals: https://www.epa.gov/assessing-and-managing-chemicals-under-tsca/ongoing-and-completed-chemical-risk-evaluations-under
United Nations Environment Programme document on marine litter and plastic pollution: https://www.unep.org/resources/pollution-solution-global-assessment-marine-litter-and-plastic-pollution
The Ecology Center can help you reuse your containers by refilling them with household products. They also list other refill shops around the Bay Area: https://ecologycenter.org/store/. One of these shops is Simple, featured in Episode 6 of the Everyday Climate Champions Podcast
Monthly Martin Luther King, Jr. Shoreline Cleanup (Oakland): https://www.climaterealitybayarea.org/chapter-events/saturday-bay-clean-up-sjr5w-mbkmz
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Contact Us: Do you know a Bay Area-based Everyday Climate Champion? We’d love to interview them! 
Get in touch: crba.eccpodcast@gmail.com 
Website: https://www.climaterealitybayarea.org/eccpodcast 
The Climate Reality Project Bay Area Chapter catalyzes local solutions to the climate crisis in every corner of the San Francisco Bay Area. We work together to spark urgent action and rapid adoption of solutions to the climate crisis. As Climate Reality founder and Former U.S. Vice President Al Gore says, “Solving the climate crisis is within our grasp, but we need people like you to stand up and act.”  
To learn more, visit: https://www.ClimateRealityBayArea.org
Podcast Production Team: Executive Producer/Editor: Dalya Massachi; Audio Engineers: Stephen Dillaro, Martin Sanchez, Trevor Skerbe; Co-Hosts/Researchers: George Dy, Ellisa Feinstein, Isabella Genereaux, Sean Mendelson, Hasini Parepalli; Logo Designer: Gabriela Vargas
Keywords:  #climate#climatechange#climatecrisis#climateEmergency#EverydayClimateChampions#climatepodcast #ReusableOakland #stopwaste #plasticpollution #plasticfoodware #reduceplasticpollution #oaklandreusablefoodware #plasticcrisis