City's Environmental Services Division Donates Reusable Bags to Santa Fe Public Schools
The Environmental Services Division (ESD) has collaborated with Santa Fe Public Schools (SFPS) to reduce plastic waste and provide residents with reusable bags by donating 5,000 BYOB (Bring Your Own Bag) shopping bags for the school’s summer Chromebook exchange. The bags, made from 100% recycled plastic, were used to hold the computer, a charger, and tech support information for students and families. They also included a bilingual flyer reminding them to bring their reusable shopping bags to the store and a note about the funding source for the bags.
“Because of COVID-19 and the temporary pause of the reusable bag ordinance, as well as event cancellations during 2020, we had a surplus of the reusable BYOB bags that we usually hand out to residents throughout the year,” said Shirlene Sitton, Environmental Services Division Director. “This collaboration with the SFPS was a great opportunity to get reusable bags to thousands of Santa Fe families and to re-start our ‘Bring Your Own Bag’ campaign.”
The reusable shopping bags were purchased with funding from the Environmental Service Fee established by City Ordinance No. 2015-21, otherwise known as the “Bag Fee.” This Ordinance prohibits certain plastic shopping bags, and sets a fee for the use of paper bags, in order to reduce plastic litter pollution, conserve resources, and encourage reusable products over disposable ones.
The reusable bag Chromebook kits, assembled by a team of students, were distributed to families via a curbside exchange station at the SFPS Technology Office over the past week. First and second grade SFPS students, who initially received an iPad, returned the iPads and received a Chromebook for the upcoming school year.
“We have a strong sustainability program in the SFPS district, and are so thrilled to be able to partner with the City of Santa Fe to add this sustainability factor to our Chromebook Exchange,” said Lisa Randall, SFPS Sustainability Program Coordinator.
Residents are encouraged to bring their own reusable bags when shopping, and to look for other ways to reduce single-use plastics where they can. BYOB bags (limit of 5 per resident) are available for Santa Fe residents at the following locations:
ESD Offices
1142 Siler Rd., Building A, Santa Fe, NM
Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
City Hall
200 Lincoln Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Mon.–Fri., 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Main Library
145 Washington Ave, Santa Fe, NM 87501
Tues.–Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Southside Library
6599 Jaguar Dr, Santa Fe, NM 87507
Tues.–Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Contact: Michaela Beggins, ESD Outreach Coordinator; mkbeggins@santafenm.gov