Abby Miner

Period 1
English 10H
Mrs.Clark

PUTTING AN END TO PLASTIC

Today, most people use a plastic bag on a daily basis, whether it be

carrying groceries, picking up after you dog, or using it as a lunch sack. The idea
of plastic bags being around has become a part of our culture; it has become a
convenience that people are accustomed to having. On the other hand, as we
use more and more bags, they are found in places they dont belong: litter,
caught in trees, blowing in the wind, or in a street gutter. Plastic causes masses
of trash and should be banned in order to stop this problem. Bans on plastic
should be enforced in our society because of the buildup of trash they cause, and
the harm they bring to life on earth.

Plastic bags and bottles have contributed to enormous piles of trash and
debris. These piles are on land and in the oceans. In 2012, Americans
generated about 32 million tons of plastic waste, including shopping bags and
beverage bottles, and recycled only about 9 percent of it (Majerol). When using
this much plastic, people should be recycling just as much in order to make up
the difference. However, by this evidence, we see that only a tiny fraction is being
recycled, compared to the amount that it being used. Because we are not

recycling like we need to be, these plastic bags and bottles should not be
allowed. In addition, gigantic masses of junk, including plastic, make their way to
our earths oceans. According to the article Plastic Waste in Oceans, these
Garbage patches are areas in the Pacific Ocean with high concentrations of
plastic debris (Plastic Waste in the Oceans). Some of these masses end up
being twice the size of Texas! As people throughout the world use more and
more plastic bags and bottles, these mounds of trash are just going to keep
going up in size. If we set, and enforce, bans on plastic, specifically plastic bags,
these enormous pileups can be reduced. With these things considered, others
might argue that plastic bags are essential to daily life because not only are they
used in grocery stores, they can be used for many different purposes and uses.
Some of these purposes might include lunch bags, trash cans liners, transporting
items, or picking up after your dog. However, this opinion is incorrect. Although
these bags can be reused, were talking about cutting back on a substance that
is doing more harm than good (Plumb). These bags are causing many
problems. Not all of the bags will end up being reused or recycled. Even if
someone does reuse one, it still ends up being debris and contributes to the
trash piles that fill our landfills. Plastic bags bans should be enforced because of
their contributions to debris buildup.

Restrictions on plastic bags should be carried out because of the harmful

things they do to earth life. As these bags find their way to the oceans, marine life
can easily be tangled in the plastic as well as choke and suffocate. They are a
danger to animals like sea turtles, seabirds, and whales, which not only get

caught in the bags but often mistake them for food, choke on them, and die
(Majerol). As the plastic diffuses more and more into oceans, innocent sea
creatures die. This has a significant impact on the animals in our oceans as it
prevents ecosystems from running smoothly and food chains to be disturbed. It
also decreases the overall animal population. Moreover, plastic bags are nonbiodegradable, meaning that it would take many, many years to degrade. As an
indication of this point, theres a 20-foot fence at the Salt Lake Landfill to corral
the blow-away bags, which if even buried properly, take 1,000 years to
decompose (ODonoghue). Usually, if a material is buried the proper way, it will
not take as long to decompose. However, in this case, plastic bags will take
years to decay, causing more problems on earth, including lowering quality of the
soil. As these bags enter into the soil, it makes it difficult to plant or grow anything
from that soil. Plastic bags are also responsible for releasing toxic gases into the
air. Because plastic bags are made from non-renewable resources, they create
harmful greenhouse gases that can eventually lead to overall climate change in
our world. Some critics might argue that plastic bags are a convenience and that
people could not do without them. The bags are right there for them, and people
always forget to use their reusable bags. However, this opinion is not valid
because this problem can easily be prevented. People need to start keeping their
reusable bags in their cars in order to remember. Grocery stores can also place
incentives for bringing in reusable bags. The environmental problems these bags
cause greatly outweigh these easy solutions. Plastic bags should no longer be
used in order to protect the environment.

Bans on plastic should be enforced in our society because of the buildup

of trash they cause, and the harm they bring to life on earth. These issues play a
big part in our environment, as trash is being spread and earth life is being
harmed. Despite the fact they are harming our planet, these problems are easily
preventable by just a few simple changes: switching to reusable bags, and being
careful about where your trash is going. Even though plastic bags are seen as
easy and convenient, trash buildup, killing sea animals, and destroying the
environment is not worth it. These bans need to enforced to save our world.

WORKS CITED
Majerol, Veronica. Bagging Plastic. The New York Times: UPFRONT
31 March 2014. Web. 1 October 2016.

ODonoghue, Amy. Are you ready to bring a bag to the grocery store?
The Deseret News. 24 February 2016. Web. 1 October 2016.

Plastic Waste in the Oceans. The New York Times: UPFRONT.

31 March 2014. Web. 1 October 2016.

Plumb, Katie. Time to just say no to plastic bags. The Salt Lake Tribune.
9 May 2014. Web. 1 October 2016.