I am a resident of Broward county,FL, and it deeply concerns me that our local dump is reaching its capacity. The lack of recycling in our community is exacerbating this issue, and one major contributor to this problem is single-use plastics. These items are used once and then discarded, taking up valuable space in our already overflowing landfill.

According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the average American throws away approximately 185 pounds of plastic per year. Much of this plastic comes from single-use items like bags, straws, bottles, and packaging materials. These materials do not biodegrade but instead break down into smaller pieces over hundreds or even thousands of years.

The impact on our environment and wildlife is devastating. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports that millions of marine animals die each year from plastic debris in the ocean - much of which originates from land-based sources.

By banning single-use plastics in Broward County, we can take a significant step towards reducing waste production and protecting our environment for future generations. We urge local policymakers to implement a ban on these harmful products as soon as possible.

Let's make a stand and do something that will make a difference fo all the generations to come!!

• Plastic bags are used an average of 12 minutes.
• According to Waste Management, only 1% of plastic bags are returned for recycling. On average a household will recycle 15 bags a year, the rest go to the dump!
• Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, that requires 12 million barrels of oil to make them.
• So about 14 plastic bags is the equivalent of the amount of fuel it takes to drive 1 mile in an car.
• Target gives away enough plastic bags a year to wrap around the earth 7 times.
• The average American family takes home around 1500 plastic shopping bags a year.
• At least 265 species have been affected by plastic pollution in the oceans.
• 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic bags annually.
• It may take 500 years for a plastic bag to degrade in a dump. But unfortunately the bags do not completely breakdown. They photo-degrade, becoming a microplastic that will absorb toxins and just continue to pollute our environment.

THERE IS NO TIME TO WASTE THE FUTURE NEEDS US!!!!!!!!!

     Lets make Broward County the leader to the forefront of making  a change for our PLANET!!!!

Please sign this petition if you believe in preserving the beauty and healthiness of Broward county, FL for ourselves and future generations by banning single-use plastics.