We are allowing plastic to silently infiltrate our lives. It is then breaking down and poisoning our water and food sources, and causing harm to our environment. The profound impact of plastic on our health and ecosystem is undeniable. In New Hampshire, single-use plastic bags and plastic and styrofoam packaging are major contributors to environmental degradation. Each year, millions of these non-biodegradable materials end up in our waters, forests, and landfills, taking hundreds of years to breakdown, releasing toxins and forever chemicals into our water, soil, and food sources.

The consequences are devastating, wildlife is dying from ingesting plastic waste, our lakes and rivers are becoming plastic soup, and our water and food sources are becoming increasingly contaminated. These environmental threats aren't just distant problems, they're right here in Madison, across our Valley, and New Hampshire, affecting our beautiful landscapes and local wildlife.

As we gear up for our spring Valley Clean Up Day along with many other towns across NH, we plan to collect thousands of bags of litter, much of it plastic. We need to stop it at the source, we need to stop making it.

We have the power to change this. We call on the New Hampshire state government to take immediate and decisive action to ban single-use plastic bags, plastic packaging, and Styrofoam. This is not an unprecedented step - cities and states across the U.S. and around the world are successfully implementing similar bans, proving that change is possible and effective. Every other state in New England has some sort of plastic ban and while we readily boast about our outdoor recreation economy and our beautiful lands we allow companies to poison it and do little to protect it.

A ban on these materials would not only show that we are good stewards, like our neighboring states, and will help protect our environment but also pave the way for more sustainable alternatives, encouraging innovation and reducing our carbon footprint. By switching to reusable bags and biodegradable packaging, we can support a healthier planet for ourselves and future generations.

Join us in this critical movement to safeguard New Hampshire's environment, natural resources, and food and water sources. Stand with us in demanding a cleaner, safer, and more sustainable future. Please sign this petition and urge our leaders to act now. Together, we can make a lasting difference for our state and our world.