Controling the Usage of Plastic Bags

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According to the Clean Air Council, Americans, consume 20,000 plastic grocery-store bags every five seconds; which totals roughly one-hundred billion bags being used annually. This usage contributes to more than half-million tons of plastics being discarded into our nation’s landfills annually. Since plastic grocery store bags decompose by exposure to radiation from the sun’s ultra violet light and are not biodegradable, plastic bags are estimated to remain in our landfills for up to 1000 years, as stated by many plastic experts and scientists. If the experts are correct the sheer volume of plastic bags, over this time span, would overwhelm our current system of waste disposal. However, not all discarded plastic bags reach landfills; many are left circulating the oceans around the world or blowing with the wind in our national parks or stuck in the white picket fence surrounding our houses; causing great ecological damage to our wildlife. Consumers should no longer have the option of choosing plastic bags over the more earth friendly alternatives such as reusable, biodegradable bags.
Many champions for the continued use of plastic bags, at checkout counters around the country, often tout the low cost and availability of plastic bags, and that banning them in favor of reusable bags would increase prices for consumers. While this argument is narrowly focused; it does, however, have some merit. Plastic bags are purchased in bulk by merchandisers for roughly two cents each. If you consider that, on average, a family uses twenty bags per week; $20.80 would be spent annually; which is collected through increased prices on the items you purchase. Compared to the average cost of six dollars for each reusable bag the difference to be pai...

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...tools. Businesses are very creative it will not be very difficult for them to turn the constant expenditure of disposable plastic bags into a profitable revenue stream from the sales of reusable bags.
We can no longer stand by with a clear conscience while plastic bags continue to pollute our land and waterways. Precautions must be taken immediately to lessen the effects on our environment; as every bag used today will remain a constant reminder of our generation’s failures for the next one-thousand years. Especially since there is a viable option ready to be implemented right now that is beneficial to both the business world and the actual world alike. To continue with the status quo just because it is more convenient or saves a few dollars is unacceptable. It is time to begin looking beyond our own personal circumstances and consider the ramifications of idleness.

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