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War on Plastic Bags

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Submitted By buddha2014
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War on Plastic Bags

The battle between individuals who are committed to saving environment and those who seem not to be as interested has become a bigger battle. Our environment is changing whether we see it or not, the ecological footprint that humans are leaving is becoming greater. More impactful to the wildlife causing noticeable changes that is harming rather than helping. These impacts revolve around trying to sustain a lifestyle that as Americans we have grown accustom to. Around the late 50’s the first “Baggies” for sandwiches were introduced. Slowly after that the use of plastic as bags began to increase and increase. Consumers took a liking to the use of plastic bags and the production and use of them increased. This increase of usage of plastic bags has already created irreversible damage to our environment therefore plastic bags should be banned on a national level.
Although there are some positives to using plastic bags, the negatives of using the bags out way the positives. Landfills are becoming filled with plastic bags waste, according to the Clean Air Council, “30,000 tons of waste is created from plastic bags each year”. Not only does plastic bags accumulate trash in landfills, they are seen more and more in the ocean and other water sources. “Plastic constitutes approximately 90% of all trash floating on the ocean’s surface, with 46,000 pieces of plastic per square mile”. All this plastic is affecting the ecosystems of the wildlife and the basic natural cycles of various animals. According to the online Website Ocean Crusaders, “100,000 marine creatures a year die from plastic entanglement”. This includes sea turtles mistaking plastic bags for jellyfish and trying to eat them. Along with the waste produced by the bags affecting the wildlife, these bags use 12 million barrels of oil needed for 100 billion bags.
The positives out of using

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