City Giving Out Free Reusable Bags For Dec. 20 'Day Without a Bag'

To support the region-wide “Day Without a Bag” event Dec. 20, the City of Carlsbad is making free reusable shopping bags available at the following city buildings, while supplies last: 

Carlsbad City Library: 1775 Dove Lane Carlsbad

City Hall: 1200 Carlsbad Village Drive Carlsbad

Municipal Water District: 5950 El Camino Real 

City of Carlsbad Faraday Administration Center: 1635 Faraday Ave. 

Day Without a Bag encourages retailers to forego single-use, plastic and paper shopping bags in favor of reusable bags.  The goal is to raise awareness of the need to keep communities, waterways and beaches clean through litter prevention and promote a ‘greener’ holiday season through reuse. 

According to the Day Without a Bag website, more than 1.7 billion plastic bags are used throughout the San Diego region each year. That’s an average of 500 bags a person every year. Made from non-renewable fossil fuels, plastic bags are recyclable – however, studies show that less than 5 percent are actually recycled.

Even when properly disposed, plastic bags are often blown out of trash cans or pulled out by birds and easily carried by the wind to become tangled in vegetation, clog storm drains, or make their way to waterways and the ocean where they become an even greater threat to marine life. 

“The Carlsbad community cares about our coastal environment, and this is a great way to show it,” said Craig Schmollinger, an analyst in the City of Carlsbad Utilities Department.  “Protecting our natural resources is important for our quality of life and supports a strong and vibrant tourism economy.” 

–City of Carlsbad