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A turtle goes to a plastic bag and thinks it is food. It eats it. The next day it eats another one, then the day after, and the day after that. Do you know how much plastic is in it? Plastic bags are not only harmful to animals but to the environment as well. The plastic bags in the water causes water pollution and on land, it is air pollution. Plastic bags should be banned as it pollutes the water and land. Plastic bags are made from non-renewable sources and on this account, highly contribute to climate change.
One reason plastic bags should be banned is that they hurt the environment. For example, according to the 2020 natural environmental scorecard they said, “Plastic bags are usually lightweight, and as such, they can travel very long distances by either water or wind. The wind blows these plastic bags and trashes a whole area. These litters get caught up in between trees, and fences, and float in water bodies, thus moving to the world’s oceans.” (Cantwell) Because plastic bags are lightweight they can travel far distances which can end up in the ocean. When plastic bags end up in the ocean they can be mistaken as food for the animals living there, like turtles. The natural environmental scorecard also said, “Most of the plastic is made of polypropylene, which is a material manufactured from petroleum and natural gas. All of the materials are non-renewable fossil fuel-based materials, and through their extraction and even production, greenhouse gases are created, which further contribute to global climate change.” (Cantwell) Plastic bags are made of non-renewable materials so, people cannot recycle them, and it takes a long time to decompose. It stays on land and water for longer, so, when more and more people throw plastic bags into the garbage it collects and continues to pollute the environment.
However, there are still people who disagree with the idea of a plastic bag ban. Shnwanke says, Plastic Bag Alternatives Aren't Necessarily Better – “The common belief is that just about anything is better than the typical thin plastic bag you get from the supermarket, but it's not so simple. There are surprising environmental issues to consider, as well as situations where plastic just works better than paper or cotton. Sometimes, plastic is even being reused in the process (like lining a bathroom trashcan or cleaning up after your dog on a walk).” (Shnwanke) It would be fine to use plastic to line up a bathroom trash can and clean up your dog after a walk, but, cotton would be better because you can always recycle it. Shnwanke also states Paper Lasts Longer in Landfills – “According to North Suburban News, paper bags take up nine times more room than plastic. Switching to biodegradable plastic bags might be something to consider, but a ban on plastic bags won't do much for landfills. If anything, assuming an increase in paper bag usage, it could make the problem worse.” (Shnwanke) People can use biodegradable bags but not put them in landfills, and instead recycle and reuse them and you can’t do that with plastic bags.
Another reason to ban plastic bags is that plastic bags kill millions of animals every year. For example, “Eco Watch reports that more than 370 autopsies of leatherback sea turtles have found that one in three sea turtles have plastic in their stomachs, and this is most often a plastic bag.” (12 Compelling Reasons For Banning Plastic Bags). Plastic bags might be able to kill animals who eat them and could lead to the extinction of a species if too many eat plastic bags. Adding on, “You might not think that animals would mistake plastic for food, but plastic bags take thousands of years to disintegrate. During this time, they break down into small pieces that can be swallowed by marine and land animals. A 2013 study found that almost 35 percent of turtle deaths are caused by the animals consuming plastic, Green Tumble reports. In 2008 in Australia, a crocodile autopsy found 25 bags in its stomach, as ABC News reports.” (Why Is Banning Plastic Bags So Important?). One crocodile had 25 plastic bags in its stomach which means that the area it was living in is hugely polluted.
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