Save the Plastic Bag Coalition

Save the Plastic Bag Coalition
Name	Save the Plastic Bag Coalition
Formation	2002
Type	Advocacy group
Headquarters	San Francisco, California
Region served	United States
Leader title	Executive Director
Leader name	Unknown
Website	None

Save the Plastic Bag Coalition was a United States-based advocacy organization formed in 2002 to oppose municipal and state bans and fees on single-use plastic shopping bags. The coalition engaged with policymakers, retailers, trade associations, and media to advocate for plastics industry interests during debates involving California Proposition 65, San Francisco Board of Supervisors, Los Angeles City Council, New York City Council, and other legislative bodies. Its activities intersected with legal disputes, ballot initiatives, and public relations campaigns that involved actors such as Republican Party (United States), Democratic Party (United States), Environmental Protection Agency, Sierra Club, and Natural Resources Defense Council.

Background and Formation

The coalition formed amid growing municipal campaigns in San Francisco, Seattle, and Austin, Texas to restrict single-use carriers, coinciding with litigation like Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission debates over political spending and advocacy. Founders included representatives of the plastics industry, large supermarket chains such as Safeway (United States), trade groups like Plastics Industry Association and law firms with connections to regulatory matters exemplified by cases before the United States Supreme Court. Its creation reflected a broader industry response seen in sectors including American Chemistry Council and organizations that previously mobilized around initiatives like Proposition 37 (2012).

Mission and Activities

The coalition framed its mission around protecting consumer choice and retail operations during policy shifts contested in venues such as California State Legislature, Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, and ballot measures like Measure B (San Francisco County). Activities included grassroots outreach, advertising campaigns on outlets including KQED, Fox News Channel, CNN, and placements in print media like The New York Times and Los Angeles Times. The group coordinated with retail coalitions linked to chains such as Walmart, Target Corporation, and Kroger, and engaged consultants experienced with campaigns referenced in disputes involving Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington and Common Cause.

Funding and Membership

Funding sources reportedly included manufacturers tied to companies like Dow Chemical Company, ExxonMobil, and processors associated with Chevron Phillips Chemical. Membership lists comprised trade associations and retailers comparable to National Retail Federation, Independent Grocers Alliance, and supermarket chains analogous to Albertsons Companies, Inc. and Publix. Financial disclosures and campaign finance reports submitted to authorities such as the Federal Election Commission and state-level agencies paralleled filings seen in controversies like California Fair Political Practices Commission matters. The coalition’s budget supported paid media, lobbying at capitols including Sacramento, California, and legal counsel with experience in litigation before the California Supreme Court.

Controversy and Criticism

Critics included environmental organizations like Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth, Ocean Conservancy, and Heal the Bay, which linked plastic bag proliferation to marine debris highlighted in studies by institutions such as Scripps Institution of Oceanography and Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. Investigative reporting in outlets like The Guardian, Los Angeles Times, and The Washington Post scrutinized funding sources and messaging tactics, comparing them to astroturf campaigns seen with groups tied to Tobacco industry controversies and fossil-fuel advocacy linked to ExxonMobil. Legal challenges invoked statutes and precedents similar to those in First Amendment to the United States Constitution litigation and state administrative procedure disputes before courts including California Court of Appeal.

Policy Influence and Campaigns

The coalition actively opposed ordinances in municipalities such as San Francisco, Oakland, California, and New York City while supporting statewide efforts that emphasized voluntary recycling programs similar to initiatives in Oregon and Hawaii. Campaign strategies included ballot measure involvement reminiscent of campaigns like California Proposition 8 (2008), lobbying activities comparable to efforts by American Beverage Association, and public relations partnerships with media firms that previously worked on campaigns for entities like Amazon (company) and McDonald's. Its influence factored into legislative debates in bodies such as the California State Assembly and regulatory discussions with agencies including the California Environmental Protection Agency.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

The coalition operated as a membership-based advocacy network with a coordinating secretariat, legal counsel, and contracted public affairs firms drawn from the same professional ecosystem as consultants who worked with Lobbying Disclosure Act registrants and trade associations like the National Association of Manufacturers. Leadership involved executives and lobbyists with prior affiliations to corporations and policy groups comparable to those found in boardrooms and advocacy circles surrounding Chamber of Commerce of the United States and regional business alliances. Public-facing spokespeople often appeared in hearings before municipal bodies such as the San Francisco Board of Supervisors and in media interviews on outlets including NPR and MSNBC.

Category:Political advocacy groups in the United States Category:Plastics industry