COVID-19 forced grocery stores and other markets to use single-use plastic bags to reduce the spread of the virus to store workers handling personal reusable bags. As a result, tons of single-use plastic bags have gone out of stores and into the waste stream.
GOOD NEWS! There are stores that have reinstalled plastic bag bins, where you can take your bags, for recycling. Heal the Ocean researched, and called, to verify that the following stores have instated their recycling bins/programs for your single-use plastic bags! Please patronize these stores, and use their bins:
Ralphs Grocery Store at 5170 Hollister Ave. Goleta, 93117 (Bag bin located outside the store)
Albertsons Grocery Store at 5801 Calle Real, Goleta, 93117 (Bag bin located outside the store)
Ablitt’s Fine Cleaners at 14 W. Gutierrez St. Santa Barbara, 93101 (NOTE: Ablitt's has also reinstated its recycling program of film plastics, bubble wrap, bread & product wrappers (clean), and other items that are shipped to a facility that repurposes it all into a product that looks like wood).
IMPORTANT INSTRUCTIONS: Ablitt's only accepts these items on Fridays from 2-3 pm. Please park in the public lot across the street on Gutierrez and walk your recyclables to the drop-off team in the driveway.
Items to be recycled at Ablitt's Fine Cleaners.
Heal the Ocean salutes CEC & Santa Barbara Channelkeeper for organizing this fine program!
Here is the most significant way to keep plastic bags out of the environment during COVID-19 - go back to using your reusable bags, as follows:
Under COVID regulations, store workers can’t handle your reusable bags, but you can!
Put your reusable bags into the bottom of your cart, (or not), put all your groceries on top of them.
Go out of the store, and bag your groceries yourself with the bags from your cart or the ones you keep in your car.
This simple tip will have you back in business with your reusable bags!
Meanwhile, please take any plastic bags you have acquired to the stores with recycling bins.
We thank these stores, one and all – and all of you, too -- for doing your part!
Thank you!
Love, Heal the Ocean