Please read the following letter to the state governors/large grocery corporations:

 

To Whom It May Concern,

 

            When was the last time you threw away a plastic bag? Was it this morning? Yesterday? Last week at the latest? Well, you’re not alone. Every year, the average American family will bring home 1,500 plastic bags. And, together as a nation, Americans go through 100 billion plastic bags annually costing retailers $4 billion each year. Twelve million barrels of oil are used each year to manufacture plastic bags. That equates to about 1 million plastic bags being used each minute ("Inspiration Green"). This alarming rate of plastic bag consumption is  an epidemic that is quickly overtaking the nation and the world.

 

            While most Americans are deluded into believing that the majority of plastic bags are recycled, the reality is that less than 5% of plastic bags in the U.S. actually are. The breakdown of the remaining 95% can take up to 1,000 years ("Inspiration Green"). The bags do not biodegrade, but instead photodegrade; this means the materials break down into smaller pieces which then absorb toxins more easily. These fragments  contaminate our soil and waterways, and injure  animals upon digestion. Many of these fragments are left to drift in the ocean for countless years which leads to the death of sea life and injures the ecosystem ("Facts About the Plastic Bag Pandemic"). According to the Algalita Marine Research Foundation,  plastic bags cause the death of  marine animals because they are  mistaken for food. Due to its extensive breakdown, even after the animal dies and decays, the plastic re-enters the environment to continue its deadly cycle ("Inspiration Green"). Plastic bags are damaging America's homeland in ways that will soon be irreparable if steps are not taken to stop this unnecessary environmental degradation.

 

             While an outright plastic bag ban is impractical, a tax on plastic bags is a solution that will work. Americans use and dispose of plastic bags every day without a second thought. Therefore, it is imperative to shift away from the cultural notion of use-and-toss. A 20-cent fee placed on plastic bags handed out at grocery, drug, and convenience stores will help shift attitudes away from mindless consumption. As part of this solution, we propose that stores with profits under $1 million keep 100% of the money generated by the tax. Stores with profits over $1 million must return 75% of fee revenue. Eighty percent of this returned money will go toward waste prevention, recycling programs, and environmental education programs. The remaining money will go towards funding reusable bags ("Facts About the Plastic Bag Pandemic"). A plastic bag tax is a simple solution that will create a sustainable economy and environment while improving the general attitude of Americans towards the planet that is their home. Just look at the benefits of the Irish PlasTax, Ireland’s plastic bag fee which decreased plastic bag consumption approximately 90% from 1.2 billion to 230 million bags per year! In addition, Ireland’s litter has been dramatically reduced, and approximately 18 million liters of oil have been saved due to the reduced production of the bags ("The PlasTax: Ireland's Plastic Bag Fee").  Furthermore, reusable shopping bags are taking the place of disposable plastic bags which caused weaker plastic bag companies to go out of business. However, larger plastic bag companies are now thriving off of the opportunity to switch to the production of reusable bags. Overall, the PlasTax was a huge success, and many Irish consumers have adopted the use of reusable bags. In terms of economics, retailers no longer suffer from the costs of giving away free plastic bags. In fact, they benefit from the new market of selling reusable bags. If America implemented the 20-cent plastic bag tax, it could yield similar benefits.

 

            As seniors in high school, we witness the mindless consumption of plastic bags in our schools and homes on a daily basis. It is our goal to promote placing a tax on plastic bags in order to change the apathetic attitude that many Americans hold when it comes to the Earth’s well-being. Locally, we are encouraging our community to adopt reusable bags. Attached is a petition signed by our local community members asking for a tax on plastic bags. We have written to various reusable bag companies such as ChicoBag, Reuseit.com, Envirosax, Earthwise Bag Company, and Baggu, whom have helped our cause by donating reusable bags. We plan to distribute these bags to local shoppers in order to discourage the use of plastic bags. Hopefully, our efforts will spark, at the very least, a small change in our community and, with your help and leadership in implementing a tax on plastic bag in your state, perhaps the nation.

 

Thank you for your time and careful consideration of the benefits of this proposed solution.

 

 

Works Cited

 

"Facts About the Plastic Bag Pandemic." reuseit: reusables for every part of your life. N.p..Web. 20 Jan 2014. <http://www.reuseit.com/facts-and-myths/facts-about-the-plastic-bag-pandemic.htm>;.

 

"The PlasTax: Ireland's Plastic Bag Fee." reuseit: reusables for every part of your life. N.p..Web. 20 Jan 2014. < http://www.reuseit.com/facts-and-myths/the-plastax-irelands- plastic-bag-fee.htm>;.

 

"Plastic Bag Statistics." Inspiration Green. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan 2014.             <http://www.inspirationgreen.com/plastic-bag-stats.html>.