May updates - ZWC at the Library, People over Plastic and BYO legislation

It was a busy month of May for Zero Waste Columbia! Welcome to our newest members of our ZWC Google Group Pati, Noel and Lisa B.

ZWC at the Roe-Jan Library

On May 4, ZWC members Stephanie Sussman and Jill Berman provided a program at the Roe-Jan Library to promote ways to reduce consumption and waste with strategies for mindful purchasing, borrowing from local tool libraries, instead of buying (they have more than tools!), local businesses to buy in bulk, ways to stretch your food budget in these challenging economic times, and places to donate or shop to adopt a do with less attitude! Here's a link to what was shared so you can share these ideas and local resources with others.

Jill provided updates on our current legislative efforts to pass the Better Bottle Bill (BBB), the Packaging Reduction and Recycling Act (PRRIA), and to expand and enable greater permissible Bring Your Own (BYO) practices.

ZWC at the People Over Plastics Rally and Advocacy Day in Albany

Members of ZWC joined hundreds of other volunteers on May 7 at the NY State Legislative Office Building in Albany, to rally and advocate for passage of the BBB and PRRIA legislation in this current session. We heard inspiring speeches from Assemblymembers and Senators sponsoring those bills, and had fruitful conversations with our local legislators who have not yet signed onto these bills. We also had a great time rallying outside replete with a marching band and passionate and inspiring speeches by other advocates!

Expanding BYO legislation S7408/A8007

Our ZWC ally Yayoi Koizumi, Co-founder of Zero Waste Ithaca, has been working with legislative staff to advance S7408 / A8007, which will make a meaningful impact on BYO (Bring Your Own) in New York State, in the final days of this year’s legislative session.

In a recent communication that Yayoi shared, the proposed amendments (attached) that she wrote reflect years of lived experience and community advocacy. Our goal is to ensure that S7408 / A8007 truly enables BYO practices across New York, not just codifying what’s already allowed. We’ve also included notes on potential implementation barriers and language examples from other states. Yayoi acknowledged that the proposals reflected years of experience of BYO organizations all across the state.

ACTION ITEM: Read the proposed amendments. Call/Email Senator Fahy’s office of Assemblymember Kelles’ office to express support for the proposed BYO amendments by Zero Waste Ithaca and CC Reduces Waste-BYO!

Contact Senator Fahy’s staff:

Call Senator Fahy’s office at 518-455-2225 or email staffer Jacob Egloff at egloff@nysenate.gov

Contact Assembymember Anna Kelles’ staff: Call Assemblymember Kelles’ office 518-455-5444 or email staffers Mary Holland Bavis at hollandbavism@nyassembly.gov or Margaret Johnson at johnsonm@nyassembly.gov