A Cortez Resident Reduces Reliance on Plastic Bags by Providing Reusable Options | LOR Foundation
Complete Environment

A Cortez Resident Reduces Reliance on Plastic Bags by Providing Reusable Options

  • Local Champion: a cortez resident
  • Date Funded: September 30, 2021
  • Grant Amount: $13,410

After Colorado State House Bill 21-1162 created a ban on single-use plastic bags by 2023, one local Cortez resident realized how significant a problem they were: More than 30,000 plastic bags are provided through local stores in the Cortez area every day. She also knew that Cortez residents are hesitant to change their behavior without understanding why. So she decided to work with local retailers and nonprofits to distribute free reusable, washable, large capacity sacks and produce sacks to low-income individuals—and to build support for the effort by involving local students in the creation of multilingual educational materials about the benefits of reusable bags.

This project is fiscally sponsored by Onward! A Legacy Foundation

Impact

After seeing the initial impact, store managers at Walmart, Safeway, and City Market donated hundreds more reusable bags to the cause and the City of Cortez is now working on additional forms of outreach to educate community members about House Bill 21-1162.

In The News

SUP2sack thanks LOR Foundation, retail stores and volunteers (Cortez Journal)
Cortez urged to stop using single-use plastic bags (Durango Herald)

Contact our community officer in Cortez. Meet Nicci Crowley
More Environment Solutions
Environment / Cortez A Mower Preserves the Cortez Cemetery’s Sacred Space
Local Champion:
Cortez Cemetery District
Date funded:
May 13, 2025
Grant Amount:
$7,000
Environment / Libby A Pedal Track Encourages Young Libby Riders
Local Champion:
Libby Outdoor Recreation Association
Date funded:
May 6, 2025
Grant Amount:
$10,000
Environment / Questa Community Clean-Up Days Offer Free Waste Disposal in Questa
Local Champion:
Village Of Questa
Date funded:
May 2, 2025
Grant Amount:
$4,033
Environment / Lander Camping Equipment Opens Outdoor Recovery Experience for Lander Families
Local Champion:
Wind River Family and Community Health Care
Date funded:
April 30, 2025
Grant Amount:
$3,573
Environment / Libby A Walking Path Makes a Libby Park Family Friendly
Local Champion:
Libby Parks District
Date funded:
April 29, 2025
Grant Amount:
$10,000
Environment / Cortez A Botanical Field Guide Enhances Visitor Experience at Cortez’s Canyons of the Ancients
Local Champion:
A Cortez local
Date funded:
April 25, 2025
Grant Amount:
$7,140

Share an Idea

If you have an idea for improving quality of life in Cortez or Monte Vista, Colorado; Lander, Wyoming; Libby, Montana; Questa or Taos, New Mexico; or Weiser, Idaho, use this form to start a conversation with us.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.