Submitted by Mary Bartlett on behalf of Cazenovia Call to Action
We support the proposed ban on single use plastic bags in Madison County. As we know, the introduction of plastic debris into the environment poses a threat to wildlife, ecosystems and human health.
Plastic bags are highly visible and numerous and that makes them a particular threat when it comes to plastic pollution. The numbers are telling. One household in the U.S. uses at least 500 plastic bags annually. (statisticbrain.com) In Madison County, we have 26,288 households (2010 census data) for a grand total of at least 13 million plastic bags every year to be removed from the environment.
Yes, this will be yet another restriction placed on all of us. (We are not allowed to smoke in restaurants. We are not allowed to throw trash out of our car windows. We have to clean up after our dogs.) But banning plastic bags seems like a small price to pay to try to protect our health and our environment.
The profit loss argument was used when smoking was banned in restaurants and other public places, but it was proved to be unfounded. In fact, patrons and owners have been pleasantly surprised over the years as the ban on smoking has created a more pleasing environment. For some, business has increased.
There have been many options proposed to counter the simple banning of single use bags, the most popular is the tax or fee idea. Unfortunately, this poses numerous political and fiscal challenges that can be avoided by a simple ban. Retail outlets could impose a fee on paper bags and sell recyclable bags as an option for those who forget or don’t want to use reusable bags. This eliminates retail store’s need to buy plastic bags while still providing a viable alternative.
If recycling bins were more prominent in stores, we might increase the recycling rate, but not to the degree to really make a dent in the 13 million bags that are annually landfilled and littered in Madison County. Single use plastic bags can be replaced – the health and safety of our wildlife, ecosystems and human health cannot.
Submitted by the climate change committee of the Cazenovia Call to Action group. For more information on plastic pollution, environmental health and climate change, contact CazCTA@gmail.com.