Marin IJ Readers’ Forum for Aug. 6, 2023

Sep 23, 2023

As co-chair of the PlasticFree Marin community group I would like to add more context to the article published July 24 with the headline, “Corte Madera moves toward single-use foodware ordinance.”

Corte Madera is the only significant municipality that did not adopt the Marin County Reusable Foodware Ordinance within the May deadline to bypass any enforcement charges. Others embraced this ordinance, which aims to drastically eliminate and reduce the gratuitous amount of single-use foodware items that end up in landfill or worse, as trash in our streams, bays and oceans.

The county ordinance’s 25-cent charge on single-use cups is meant as a price signal to discourage the estimated 95 million “throw-away” cups used annually in Marin. Businesses keep that revenue. Hopefully, customers are motivated to bring their own reusable cups.

Regarding compostables, a benefit of the county ordinance is that it dispels confusion and brings order to what is actually composted in Marin County.

Marin’s compost facility does not take bio-plastic foodware packaging. Bio-plastics take years to break down and act just like plastic in the environment. Marin’s facility is certified organic and in high demand from nearby wineries and farms — bio-plastics effectively contaminate it.

Businesses in compliance with the county ordinance will reduce waste while saving money along the way. Most are eager to do just that. Business models based on unnecessary waste are trending toward relics of an unsustainable past.

— Susan Hopp, Mill Valley

I am writing in regard to the recently published article about the impending departure of valued community member Linda Jackson (“San Rafael school board veteran to step down,” Aug. 1).

Marin is a better place because of Jackson. Her sharp mind and sweet, southern accent will be missed, but she is leaving behind her many contributions to education, seniors and our community through her thoughtful and dedicated service. I am wishing her a fond farewell as she departs for Portland.

— Polly Elkin, San Rafael

An article appearing in the Marin IJ by the New York Times on electric-assist bicycles (“Youth accidents expose e-bike risks,” July 31) is important in that it exposes the dangers of certain kinds of e-bikes. Unfortunately, it is negligent in its failure to differentiate that not all those vehicles called e-bikes are the same.

The “type 1” e-bike is a pedal-assist bike. This is what most people ride; it is essentially a bicycle with a motor that eases your ability to pedal. These bikes are heavy and not as easy to maneuver as regular bikes so they do take some training to use, but they don’t go that fast. They could be used by teens with the proper instruction.

However, in recent years, manufacturers have introduced what are essentially motorized bikes. Type 3 bikes can go 28 mph and they are the ones that get modified to go even faster. Most states require riders to be at least 16 years old and have a driver’s license.

The biggest danger is the type 2 bikes. They have throttles and don’t have to be pedaled. These bikes are popular with young teens. They can easily be ridden recklessly and cause the most crashes.

Because riders don’t have to pedal, they shouldn’t even be called bicycles — they are essentially electric mopeds.

Neither of these two types of bikes should be sold to anyone without a driver’s license, nor should they be allowed on bicycle facilities. Pedal-assist bikes are bicycles and should be treated as such.

All of these bikes should have some kind of identifying mark so that law enforcement knows the difference. I urge parents to be aware. Only buy your child a regular bicycle or pedal-assist bike and then make sure they know how to ride it before you let them go.

— Wendi Kallins, Forest Knolls

We pick up litter daily on our neighborhood walks, so the street stays pretty clean — except for dog poop.

Some dog walkers fail to pick up afterward. Many others pick it up and leave it in a plastic bag as a semi-permanent roadside attraction. Finally, the poop fairies (the undersigned) pick it up and dispose of it.

Please, poop fiends, stop it with those plastic bags.

— Diane Farthing and Dan Farthing, San Rafael

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