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Paper, plastic or neither?

FULLY REVISED EDITORIAL
(APA format)

Temma Haywood
California State University Fullerton
English 301
Dr. Leslie Bruce
November 18, 2015

Paper, plastic or neither?

Could your shopping bags be the problem?

Throughout the country a majority of citizens participate in the mundane task of buying
groceries. Individuals browse grocery isles in search for what they need. As theyre about to pay
theyre always asked one simple question, paper or plastic?. This brief question is often times
overlooked and not carefully thought out. In addition, what if I mentioned that the right answer
to this question could possibly save the lives and homes of thousands of marine animals? The
plastic that is found in everyday items is detrimental to the ocean environment. Plastics are
polluting oceans at an alarming rate. It is important that efforts are being taken towards the
reduction of plastic use. The exclusion of plastic bags used in grocery stores has been
implemented in a variety of U.S cities. At the moment, these types of steps are crucial in
protecting the lives and homes of marine wild life.
How plastic has left its mark
Over a few decades, past and present individuals have accumulated large amounts of
garbage and toxic waste in surrounding oceans. As a result, this waste has caused tremendous
damage to the conditions of the marine wild life that inhabits it. The most damaging of these
substances is plastic; the reason being is that it takes years to breakdown. Plastic is most
certainly beneficial in certain products. However, devastating effects occur after these plastic
reach the water. The article Plastics in the Ocean Affecting Human Health mentions that,
about 20% of the trash comes from ships and platforms that are offshore. The rest sources from
litter being blown into the sea, picked up by tides on the beach, or international garbage
dumping (Andrews, 2012). Society is responsible for this contamination and animals are

suffering because they are ingesting this harmful material or becoming entangled in it. Moreover,
the chemicals found in plastic are also tainting the waters around it. The EPA (Environmental
Protection Agency) explains that ingesting and entanglement are the primary reasons that
contribute to the deaths of marine animals. For instance, the article Marine Debris Impacts
states, Entanglement can lead to suffocation, starvation, drowning, increased vulnerability to
predators, or other injury (Marine Debris Impacts, 2012). The article also reflects on an
International Costal Cleanup that resulted in the finding of 400+ marine animals that were caught
in ocean debris (Marine Debris Impacts, 2012). While caught in this waste the animals were
unable to move freely throughout the water. A leading cause of death among ocean dwelling
animals who come in contact with plastic occurs when they ingest the product. The results of
ingesting the product causes a variety of health issues for the animal which make it nearly
impossible to survive. The EPA explains, Internal injuries and infections may also result from
ingestion. Some marine debris, especially some plastics, contains toxic substances that can cause
death or reproductive failure in fish, shellfish, or any marine life (Marine Debris Impacts,
2012). Once an animal ingests the plastic they are unable to digest it because of this the material
stays idle in their stomach. This is harmful because the lack of digestion can result in illness or
death. One type of plastic that has seems to readily occur in a majority of these deaths are plastic
bags. Recently there have been successful efforts made in the depletion of this product, which in
my opinion is an important start.

The first step

In an effort to make changes in the amount of debris in oceans some local cities have
initiated bans on the plastic bags offered in grocery stores. Plastic bags have been offered in
virtually every grocery store chain across America. This item alone is causing detrimental effects
on the ocean environment. The EPA writes, Between 500 billion to a trillion plastic bags are
used worldwide each year. The bags find their way into landfills, oceans, rivers, and parks
(Audet, 2013). This ban has found its way into a few major cities in the United States, Los
Angeles being one of them. Los Angeles had reached the consensus to put a ban on plastic bags
in grocery stores. The reasons behind this sanction range from
the efforts to help marine life as well as attempting to save
money on residential clean up. The Southern California nonprofit organization Heal the Bay mentions, California
municipalities spend nearly $25 million each year just to
collect and dispose of plastic bag waste. Less than 5% of

Figure 1. Dolphin looks at mystery

object as food (Alamy, 2013)

plastic grocery bags are recycled each year statewide (King, 2013). This implementation is not
only helpful towards sea life but imagine how much money will be saved alongside the drastic
decrease in plastic bag use. The money that is saved could go towards other local or state
funding. It may seem like this is a drastic step, however, the effects that this product is having on
our environment is becoming more apparent. Los Angeles is the biggest city in the country that
has executed this law. Kristen James who is an advocate for Heal the Bay states, The vote
further emphasizes that the time has come for us to move past the wasteful convenience of a
plastic bag to sustainable reusable bags (James, 2013). I believe L.As influence is important in
setting the stage for other major cities to follow. Banning plastic bags in grocery stores may seem

like a severe measure, but it is exactly the type of initiative the ocean is in need of. The plastic
bag itself contains numerous harmful chemicals that are used in its production. These chemicals
are not only harmful to animals but humans as well.
Why is plastic so harmful?
In order to understand why regulations should be placed on plastic bag use its
beneficial to recognize how the product is made. Ultimately, the bag itself is not as harmful as
the chemicals that go into making it. The author of the article Are Plastic Shopping Bags a
Problem in Our Environment states that plastic bags are
a petroleum-based product which cause several health
problems in marine wildlife and humans as well (Audet,
2013). Some of the health issues that are commonly
Figure 2. A deceased bird with the remnants of
plastic products found inside the body
(Smithsonian Institution, 2015

found in humans who have been exposed to

petrochemicals are cancers as well as unusual hormone patterns (Audet, 2013). As humans a
large portion of our food groups come from the ocean and as the animals feed on these toxic
chemicals they are entering our systems as well. It should also be notably mentioned that
petroleum is a non-renewable resource. A non-renewable resource can be defined as a resource
that can only be used once, once the petroleum it is used up- it is gone forever (Ketcham, n.d.).
Although paper still contributes towards the littering issue that lingers in many communities,
choosing paper over plastic is a smart alternative. Paper bags are made from trees which is a
renewable resource. Some corporations have argued that the ban on plastic bags is not necessary
because they are now manufacturing plastic bags that are biodegradable. The term biodegradable
is defined as, Capable of decaying through the action of living organisms (Dictionary.com,

2005). The new development of these biodegradable bags in their opinion could potentially be
the saving grace. However, while these types of bags are being made the majorities that are
used every day are the traditional non-biodegradable bag. Furthermore, the article Plastic Bags
in the Ocean explains, Additionally, even those plastics which are biodegradable will still
release toxins as they break down, while consuming vast amounts of oxygen in the process
(Asaff, n.d.). The limited amounts of bags that are biodegradable still contain harmful chemicals
and take years to degrade. While companies attempt to make changes to their products in order to
continue the sales of plastic bags the destruction they cause continues to be visible. Asaff
continues to write, These bags are poisoning the water around them and are a huge hazard for
nearby eco systems and marine life (Plastic Bags in the Ocean, n.d.). The chemical components
that go into the making of this product cause upsetting effects on the neighboring environments
and the internal wellbeing of individuals.
What about the consumer?
One issue that individuals and companies have in regards to the banning of plastic bags is
the idea of free choice. People are arguing that they should have the right to choose between
paper and plastic. After all it is a central right to be able to choose the type of material that we
decide to carry our bags in. Jon David Russell a councilman from Virginia argues, It is our
belief that consumers should have choices on how they transport their goods from the store to
home and should not be restricted by governments (Sheppard, 2015). Those who have
successfully put a halt on plastic bag distributions do not want to put a limit on freedom of
choice. However, the protection of marine life and their environment is what is most important.
The main reason companies want to continue the circulation of plastic bags is the cost benefits
and how convenient the product is. The article Advantages of Plastic Grocery Bags states, In

large volume, plastic bags have obvious overhead cost benefits for stores and their profit
margins (Ketcham, n.d.). The conditions of convince in my opinion are not as important as a
thriving marine life. Not to mention, reusable bags are being offered in nearly every grocery
store across the country. Some consumers have worried about the cost benefits of reusable bags.
The grocery stores that have implemented this ban could try to offer the reusable for free or at a
reduced price. This could ultimately result in more customers willing to contribute to the change.
I believe if more people were informed about the harmful effects plastic bags have on the
environment they would ultimately be more willing to participate in their reduction.
In conclusion, the overwhelming rate that plastic is making its way into ocean
environments is causing disturbing effects on the animals that live there. These animals are
ingesting this product and dying. The animals often times mistake the plastic for food which is
how it enters their digestive track. They are also getting entangled in the debris as well. In
addition, marine animals are a food source for humans and we are ingesting these harmful toxins.
The ban on plastic bags being distributed in local grocery stores is a crucial step when it comes
to saving marine life. Large plastic corporations have stated that the biodegradable bags are
being issued; however, this is a product that still contains harmful chemicals. Others individuals
are angry that their freedom of choice is being taken away from them. In all honesty, these are
choices that are negative towards the future of marine life. The banning of plastic bags in an
effort to reduce the amounts of plastic that is found in our ocean is an action that is saving the
lives of thousands of ocean animals. Ultimately, this is more important than what you take your
eggs home in.

References
Andrews, G. (2012). Plastics in the Ocean Affectin Human Health. In NAGT. Retrieved
November 15, 2015, from http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/plastics.html
Asaff, B. (n.d.). Plastic Bags in the Ocean. In LoveToKnow. Retrieved November 14, 2015.
Audet, M. (2013, February 10). Are Plastic Shopping Bags a Problem in Our Enviornment.
In LoveToKnow. Retrieved November 13, 2015, from
gws_rd=ssl#q=are+plastic+shopping+bags+a+problem+in+our

https://www.google.com/?
+environment

Biodegradable (2005). In Dictionary.com. Retrieved from http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/biodegradable

Ketcham, S. (n.d.). Advantages of Plastic Grocery Bags. In LoveToKnow. Retrieved November
11, 2015, from http://greenliving.lovetoknow.com/Advantages_of_Plastic_Grocery_Bags
King, M. (2013, June 17). L.A. City Council Finalizes Ban on Plastic Bags. In Heal The Bay. Retrieved November
10, 2015, from http://www.healthebay.org/media-center/press-releases/la-city-council-finalizes-ban-plastic-bags
Marine Debris Impact (2012, March 6). In EPA: United States Enviornmental Protection
Agency Retrieved November 16, 2015, from http://water.epa.gov/type/oceb/ma rinedebris.cfm
Sheppard, K. (2015, July 31). Conservative Group Wants To Preserve Freedom Of Choice
Paper Or Plastic, That is. In Huffpost Politics . Retrieved November 16, 2015, from
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/plastic-bag-bans_55b9496de4b0b8499b18413a

Imagine links:
Figure 1:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2768849/A-planet-drowning-plastic-A-floating-Pacific-garbage-patch-size-WalesSeabirds-whales-dying-horrible-deaths-How-addiction-plastic-turning-oceans-toxic.html
Figure 2:

http://ocean.si.edu/ocean-news/terms-use-media-ocean-portal