Banning plastic bags is an awesome way to save the environment and is a wonderful opportunity to prevent pollution.
The bill passed in the state senate, setting up California to be the first state to implement a ban on single-use plastic bags once signed by Gov. Jerry Brown.
It will reduce the amount of waste in landfills, reduce litter on the street, and protect the environment. The LA Bureau suggests that it won’t completely fix the problem, but it’s a start.
There are many benefits to using plastic bags, such as convenience, durability and reusability.
As a result, you may be asking yourself, “what do I carry my items out of the store in?”
The cost of a single paper bag is 10 cents, and stores such as Whole Foods, Ralph’s, and Trader Joe’s tell patrons to feel free to bring your own reusable bag sold at many supermarkets.
While the ban may be an inconvenience in this regard, it will reduce 14 billion plastic bags that are thrown away in the state every year, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
This reduction could have a big impact as a single plastic bag can take 20 to 1,000 years to degrade, and plastic bags remain toxic even after they are broken down, according to Environment California. In fact, some scientists question whether plastic will ever biodegrade.
Aside from humans, reducing plastic bag waste could reduce harm to birds and marine life. Scientists estimate every square mile of ocean has about 46,000 pieces of plastic floating in and animals sometimes mistake plastic bags for food.
Thousands of animals die yearly after trying to eat the plastic bag waste, according to About Environment.
It will take some getting used to, but times are always changing and change is good when it’s helpful to our environment.
This bill holds society responsible for keeping our planet clean, even if it’s one bag at a time.
