Secretary of State Alex Padilla Headlines

 

California Trashes Plastic Bags!

Sep 30, 2014

This is big, California!

Governor Jerry Brown just signed into law the statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, SB 270! Californians who care about protecting our environment and ending the scourge of wasteful, polluting plastic bags in our beautiful state -- that's YOU -- made the difference. This is your victory and you should be proud of our movement. Read More >

BREAKING: Bag ban SB 270 goes to governor's desk!

Aug 29, 2014

I'm proud to share this breaking news: The state legislature just passed the statewide ban on single-use plastic bags, SB 270! The final vote to send it to the governor's desk was a late-night concurrence vote, 22-15 in the State Senate, just minutes ago. Read More >

Environmental Proposals Move Forward

May 30, 2014

It’s that time of year when those of us working hard to pass good environmental legislation in California can survey the lay of the land and see what remains in play after the flurry of policy committees and floor votes. Read More >

Plastic Bag Ban Moves Forward!

May 14, 2014

Today we're one step closer to a cleaner, more sustainable, less plastic-y California. Read More >

Bag ban bill is dead, but the movement is alive (and growing)

Jun 5, 2013

Last Thursday, a bill that would have banned single use plastic grocery bags in California narrowly failed to pass the Senate floor. The bill is dead for this year, but the movement to ban the bag is growing. Read More >

How convenient are plastic bags, really?

May 29, 2013

"But they're so convenient." Really?

[Updated May 30, 2013: Today the California state senate failed to pass SB 405, the statewide plastic bag ban. The bill's author, Senator Alex Padilla, vowed to bring it back and convince fellow lawmakers to support it next year].

The main, lame argument I hear in favor of the ubiquitous single-use plastic bag is that it's convenient. And that it's difficult to remember to bring your own reusable bags when you're out shopping. Even the most responsible environmentalists among us have occasionally arrived at the grocery store and realized we've forgotten our trusty reusable bag (you know, the ones with the logo of our favorite public radio station proudly displayed) and had to juggle a few items on the way home on our bikes or in our electric or biodiesel cars.

But compare that minor inconvenience to the mess caused by millions of plastic bags littered throughout our communities and scoring free attendance to a popular trash conference known as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Read More >

Green Summit Prepares Environmentalists for 2011

Dec 16, 2010

This year’s 6th Annual Green California Summit was the biggest, most successful Green California Summit ever. More than 240 individuals representing dozens of environmental, environmental justice, labor, clean energy business, public health, economic and social justice groups gathered at the Sacramento Convention Center on December 6th at an event organized by the California League of Conservation Voters Education Fund. Read More >

 
 
 

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