1)
A local effect of the plastic bag waste that I
found to be interesting was the different natural resources that it takes to make the plastic
bags. I was surprised to learn how
much oil (millions of barrels) it takes to make the plastic and then make them
into bags. Also I was not aware of
the environmental issues created by the polyurethane made for the plastic
bags. I did not know that it can
take 400 to 1,000 years for a plastic bag to decompose naturally.
2)
People are trying to solve this problem by in
some countries making it illegal to have plastic bags and in some people can
get in major trouble for even possessing a plastic bag. Mumbai, India also had created the
plastic bag squad that goes on patrol, especially at the street markets, to
look for the illegal plastic bags.
The people that are found in possession of plastic bags are given a very
hefty fine of 600 US dollars that equals half of the workers annual earnings.
3) We should deal with the plastic waste by trying
to limit the amount of plastic bags produced in the first place and to
recycle/reuse the plastic bags.
Also stop using plastic bags, especially when grocery shopping, and
instead use the reusable tote bags that are made out of more environmentally
safe products like cotton or canvas.
This is a problem that should be solved both locally and globally because
it effects everyone even animals.
Important animals that are dependent upon for living like cows and even
species in the oceans, dolphins and turtles, are being killed because they are
consuming the plastic bags and the plastic becomes stuck in the digestive
tracts. Plastic bags are not
misunderstood and it is a major problem that needs to be solved because of all
the harm that they have created.
We may have needed these plastic bags in the past but now they are
alternatives to the plastic bags so we do not need them as much as others think
we do.
