CORONADO, Calif. (KGTV) – Amy Steward of Emerald Keepers and others picked up plenty of trash during a beach clean-up in Coronado over the weekend. On Wednesday afternoon, there was more than enough to fill three large reusable tubs.
“You can see we’ve got all kinds of single-use plastics. These are just things we are trying to get rid of,” Steward, Founder and President of Emerald Keepers Coronado, said. This is the mess that we’ve made, and we need to clean it up. And it starts by turning off the faucet on single-use plastic.”
Many in attendance at the Coronado City Council made that call for action on Wednesday.
“I’m confident that Coronado residents, businesses and visitors will embrace this very modest lifestyle change to protect our beachfront community,” one public speaker said.
The City Council’s agenda had an item that would initiate the City's first steps toward investigating and possibly addressing the issue.
“I’m looking for what we can do for a plastic reduction ordinance,” Councilmember John Duncan of the City of Coronado said.
Duncan asked the Council to have city staff create a report after reviewing the City's policies, if any, and other communities that’ve implemented similar policies to reduce plastic use.
“We need to take into account our businesses, our citizens and come up with something that’s common sense that works. The fact is every other coastal community in San Diego has already done something. So, I certainly think Coronado can do better,” Duncan said.
One of those hoping Coronado can do better is Jody Esquer, whose family owns a restaurant on Orange Avenue.
“Just seeing that much plastic out in the ocean and seeing it when we went out whale watching; it just, there was a no-brainer,” Esquer said. “It’s a lot more expensive, I’m not going to lie. But I think that the more educated people are and the more they help us as restaurants as an association and a co-op; that we can start bringing down the cost.”
A city spokesperson told ABC 10News staff that they will bring a report back for discussion with the Council at a future meeting.
“We’re looking to do the best thing we can for clean water, for our town, be a good example for our citizens,” Duncan said.
