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To encourage all City departments and citizens and businesses of the city of Richmond to recycle and decrease the use of single-use plastic products for the purpose of reducing litter and improving the local environment. (As Amended)
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WHEREAS, pursuant to section 2-1165 of the Code of the City of Richmond (2015), as amended, the Clean City Commission was established to provide the Council with advice and recommendations concerning programs to reduce litter and improve the local environment in the city of Richmond; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 2012-R69-103, adopted July 9, 2012, the Council of the City of Richmond adopted the sustainability plan entitled “RVA Green: A Roadmap to Sustainability,” in an effort to further the sustainability goals of the City, which are to ensure that citizens have the highest quality of life possible while improving the local environment and enhancing economic development and job creation opportunities; and
WHEREAS, “RVA Green: A Roadmap to Sustainability,” identifies objectives that provide for endorsing initiatives that protect and enhance the City’s water resources from pollution and unwise use; and
WHEREAS, according to the Ocean Conservancy, the plastic that most often makes its way into local waterways takes the form of single-use straws, bottles, and balloons that originate as land-based trash; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Richmond believes that a local initiative to encourage all City departments and citizens and businesses of the city of Richmond to recycle and decrease the use of single-use plastic products for the purpose of reducing litter and improving the local environment would be consistent with the recommendations of the Clean City Commission and the City’s adopted sustainability plan; and
WHEREAS, the Council of the City of Richmond believes that it is in the best interest of the citizens of the City of Richmond that the Council encourage all City departments and citizens and businesses of the city of Richmond to recycle and decrease the use of single-use plastic products for the purpose of reducing litter and improving the local environment;
NOW, THEREFORE,
BE IT RESOLVED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF RICHMOND:
That the Council of the City of Richmond hereby encourages all City departments and citizens and businesses of the city of Richmond to recycle and decrease the use of single-use plastic products for the purpose of reducing litter and improving the local environment.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED:
That the Council hereby encourages all City departments and citizens and businesses of the city of Richmond to implement the following practices for the purpose of supporting the recommendations and recycling initiatives of the Clean City Commission and the City’s sustainability plan adopted by Resolution No. 2012-R69-103, adopted July 9, 2012, to reduce waste and pollution:
1. Provide single-use straws only when requested; switch from plastic straws to compostable straws, paper straws, or reusable straws; or refrain from using or offering straws.
2. Commemorate momentous and memorial occasions by tossing birdseed, planting a tree, or installing a commemorative bench, rather than by releasing celebratory balloons.
3. [Provide] Work toward the goal of installing water stations at city [events for the refilling of plastic bottles] event locations in an effort to reduce the number of single-use plastic bottles.
4. [Purchase and use non-plastic items whenever possible] Significantly reduce the total amount of single-use plastics purchased for City use.
5. Encourage the use of reusable bags to decrease plastic bag litter.
6. Install convenient recycling receptacles in such places as may be permitted by law.