Proposed single-use plastic reduction ordinance draws support in Coronado

SAN DIEGO (FOX 5/KUSI) — The City of San Diego’s single-use plastic reduction ordinance went into effect last year, and some small business owners are pushing for Coronado to do the same.

Night and Day Café has been serving customers on Coronado Island since 1929.

Lifelong resident and café owner, Alexandra Esquer, says preserving the environment of the city where she grew up is top of mind.

“You go to these beach cleans and stuff like that, you find a lot of plastic, and us being a huge beach town that has a big impact on it,” Esquer said.

Esquer has seen the negative impact environmental changes have had on the community.

“I was telling my mom it’s such a bummer that nowadays these kids can’t play in the ocean as we did as kids,” Esquer said.

Many other areas of San Diego County have already implemented a single-use plastic reduction ordinance, but Coronado isn’t one of them.

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“It’s frustrating. I feel like us as a community, we need to show up as a whole,” Esquer said.

Esquer’s café has switched to using biodegradable products and reusable bags, but these changes come at a cost.

“They’re like up to six times more expensive than the other bags,” Esquer said.

Esquer recognizes most restaurants are already facing small profit margins and that these changes might be hard for some to afford.

“Just small changes like if we can get businesses to change their straws or their bags, it doesn’t have to be a full change, just whatever they can manage to do will make a difference,” Esquer said.

Coronado Councilmember John Duncan requested a review of the city’s policies and ordinances regarding the use of single-use plastic products.

“I think we’re a common sense council, and from my point of view, we don’t want to do anything that hurts the businesses, but I haven’t heard directly from any businesses, that’s what I’m hoping. When this gets on council’s agenda as an action item we will have that information also from the businesses as well,” Duncan said.

Though FOX 5/KUSI reached out to multiple small businesses, FOX 5/KUSI did not find one that opposed the proposed ordinance.

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