A recent photo of a turtle carrying a plastic bag in its mouth hit the internet, and has me thinking about my own usage of these grocery bags. For years, plastic bags offer an easy way to handles, durable in transit, and reusable for other things.
However, since plastic bags take longer to biodegrade, many states have banned the use of plastic bags to save our earth. Take a look at these photos below, and change your mind about using them.
These photos are from: Plastic Pollution Destroys Marine Wildlife, and you can read more on this article. We don't have to wait for our State to ban the use of plastic bag. We can take the change within ourselves.
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San Francisco is the first city in the U.S. to ban common plastic shopping bags. Since the banned of hard-to-recycle plastic, the city is estimated around five million fewer plastic bags every month! Some experts believe that bags are the bigger sources of pollution in the city also.
A bill is coming up for a vote to ban plastic bags by the year 2010 in Los Angeles, with a string that the State is not going to impose a quarter fee on customers requesting plastic bags. However, the City Council had ban Styrofoam at all city owned facilities. Plastic bags and Styrofoam are a big environmental hazard in Los Angeles.
Following San Francisco and Los Angeles, Connecticut had joined in the effort of banning the use of free plastic shopping bags. Westport's new rule is setting a fine at $150 for any store that offers plastic bags within its borders, and will go into effect early next year.
Beginning in January of 2009, all Styrofoam products will be banned in Seattle. Then by 2010, all plastic would be banned, allow only biodegradable products. A fee of 20-cent per bag will be imposed at all supermarkets, drugstores, and convenience stores.
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On January 13, 2008, All Things Considered reported that China is also taking a lead in banning free plastic shopping bags. China is hoping this would save millions of barrels of oil each year, and Chinese shoppers are expected to buy or bring their own bags.
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Shopkeepers in Modbury of England have stopped using plastic bags, and some believe that this small population of 1,500 is the first plastic bag-free town in Europe. Bigger grocery chains offer customers money-incentives for reusing their old bags.
Image Source- Leaf Rapids, in Canada became the first municipality in North America to forbid the use of plastic bags by shop. The fine is set at $1,000 Canada dollars.
- Germany offers their consumers the options of plastic bag, canvas, or cotton tote for a fee. Stores carries plastic bags have to pay a recycling fee.
- Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania's Zanzibar islands have banned flimsy plastic, and also required a minimum thickness. A fee is charge for each plastic bag in the supermarket, or consumers can get a reusable basket with a minimum purchase.
- Ireland imposed a 32-cent fee on every plastic shopping bag, and resulted in a big cut on the number of plastic bags handing out.
- Swedish government advises the plastic bag industries to develop greener bags. Two of the country's biggest grocery chains have made biodegradable paper bags and reusable cloth bags for shoppers.
- Continuing in banning plastic bags, the following States are also involved: Austin, Texas; Bakersfield, California; New Haven, Connecticut; Portland, Oregon; Boston, Massachusetts; Phoenix, Arizona; and Annapolis, Md.
What You Can Do to Help
- Buy re-usable bags
- Do not purchase Styrofoam plates, cups, and bowls
- Pick up plastic bags and bottles when you see them
- Pick up water balloons/balloons after the children played with them
- Collect all plastic materials, and take them to the recycling center
- Pick up cigarette butts, yes they are nasty, but you're saving our planet
Whatever you can do, do it! Every small act adds up if everyone takes part in preserving our wildlife, and our environment.
