Integral Activism Community Action Initiative #1
"Back To The Sack: No More Plastic Bags"

Click Here for details on our next group meeting

Click Here for Full Narrative Findings so far on our Plastic Bag Initiative

Click Here for Debrief and Story in Words and Pictures from Saturday February 2nd, 2008 Day of Practice in Action!

Click Here To Download Senator Schneiderman's workshop panel podcast: "How Government Works"

Click Here To Download Legislative Analyst Marcy Palmer's summary of the plastic bag problem and legislative options as a word document

Click Here for a beautiful video and photo montage of plastic bags in trees by community member and photographer Melanie Einzig on the
One City Blog.

Click Here for an article by Ethan Nichtern in Kripalu Magazine: "The Psychology of Ecology."

Eco-Activism Project Description:

The ID Project Integral Activism group is developing a project to decrease use of plastic bags in our neighborhood, in an effort to improve our local, national and global environment.

Plastic bags are not biodegradable; they clog waterways and pollute the water of our earth. They are a visible form of litter and are made of plastic polymer which is derived from non-renewable resources. We believe that if storeowners and consumers in the Lower East Side/East Village can jointly agree to reduce use of plastic bags, we will raise awareness of an important environmental issue and move towards offering a viable solution for improving our earth. Further, our initiative will present an effective “green” economic model for replication in other communities and neighborhoods.

This initiative is an eco-based project, which easily merges with the other branches of the ID Project – namely, responsible consumption, engaged business, and arts (design and street theater). It is an easily unifying project that is challenging, yet achievable. This will be the first action of our Integral Activism group. The project will be implemented over four phases: Research; Planning; Action; Evaluation.

Our goals are threefold:

1) To help and encourage local storeowners in the East Village (and our own personal neighborhoods) in developing a plan that reduces the use of plastic bags

2) To provide reusable, biodegradable, earth-friendly, low-cost/free, fashionable bags for our neighbors

3) To engage local artists of our community in environmental action; ID Project and other NYC artists will be asked to design our “alternative to plastic bags.” We will also develop street theater and other public art platforms to raise community awareness of this issue and work.

The Four Stages of ID Project Integral Activism:
(Adapted from the work of community organizing lineage holder Sol Alinsky by the IDP Integral Activism team with master organizer Bill Lipton and Sen. Schneiderman)

Stage One: Research, Education, and Connections
• Understand the Particular Context of our Intended Actions
• Learn about Legislation, Policy, History of the Issue
• Recognize what work has already been done; what other groups are being effective; who can we partner with; what previous initiative can serve as a model
• Engage in an analysis of the system: Why and how does this system function? Who benefits from the system? What are the negatives? Who has power to change the system? Where do the opportunities for change lie?
• Meet with educated and experienced people in the field and elicit their advice

Stage Two: Designing a Plan of Action
• Process the information we found in Stage One
• Brainstorm! Generate many ideas and possible solutions/approaches to the Issue
• Analyze the costs and benefits of each potential solution or strategy
• Develop a plan for the initiative with specific goals, steps, and detailed description of who does what, when, how, and for what purpose
• Reflect and rework plan as a group until ready for action

Stage Three: Strategic Actions
• Hit the pavement!
• Implement each step of the process in an aware and mindful way
• Use diverse resources
• Gather support from ID Project members, friends, and community leaders (and press!)
• through momentum of the initiative
• Be flexible and imaginative with unexpected struggles during action phase
• Always Communicate, Discuss, and Work Together

Stage Four: Post-evaluation of the Process (The Learning Loop)
• Share feedback in an honest, respectful manner
• Evaluate tasks and accomplishments – what was effective? What didn’t work? What actions still need to be done? Where are continued challenges? What are the next steps?
• Return to the other stages as needed for further action

Click Here to Download a great article (pdf) that outlines the problem posed by plastic bags.

Visit our Discussion Board for much more about the development of our activism and community service work.

If you would like to get involved , contact: cassiemey@theidproject.com

Stay Tuned for More Info and Updates
Coming Soon