San Marcos City Council deliberates ban on single-use plastics in parks and river

By Omar Gonzalez

News Reporter

SAN MARCOS – The San Marcos City Council convened a meeting on Sept. 19th to address a growing environmental concern in San Marcos. The city proposes a ban on single-use plastics within city parks and the San Marcos River. The ban aims to preserve the natural beauty of the city’s parks and the river.

This proposal has garnered the attention of the San Marcos River Foundation, an organization that is no stranger to advocating to the community for a better and cleaner ecosystem. The foundation has a dedication to “preserving and protecting the natural beauty, flow, and purity of the San Marcos River,” according to their website.

Virginia Parker, the Executive Director of the San Marcos River Foundation, expresses her support for the proposed ban, emphasizing its educational value for San Marcos residents. “It’s an opportunity for people visiting our parks. We need to teach them how to care for our park system and recognize the vital role it plays for us,” Parker said.

During the meeting, City Council member Mark Gleason outlined his hopes for full implementation of the ban in city parks and rivers by next year. “We could potentially implement this by next spring, just in time for the summer season,” Gleason said. The rest of the city council acknowledges this by unanimously agreeing to move forward with the ban. 

With the proposed ban on single-use plastics currently under discussion, San Marcos finds itself at a crucial juncture in its commitment to environmental conservation. The San Marcos City Council meeting, supported by organizations like the San Marcos River Foundation, underscores the importance of preserving the city’s natural treasures.

If you have any further questions regarding the San Marcos River Foundation, please visit https://sanmarcosriver.org/.