Plastic Pollution in California - Term Paper Example

Plastic Pollution in California Introduction Pollution has always gotten debated in many forums worldwide and thus any form of it has been termed to be unacceptable. Plastic pollution is one such sort of pollution that has being spotlighted in many jurisdictions such as California. The state of California has been a pioneer state for instance by introducing trends that the entire country later follows. However, it is difficult to determine if the same will happen in the case of plastic bags (Freinkel 166). For many years, oceans and other water bodies have been the dumping sites for many residential, industries, and other human wastes. This trash does not simply go nor does it decompose, it stays and pollutes the environment in a range of ways. Plastic is the most extensive form of rubbish disposed to our ecosystem and the issue has become a problem in need of instant solutions because its effects to our environment are devastating environmentally. California would have been the first state in the nation to implement a ban on the plastic ban in July 2014. However, due to the intervention of industries associated with plastic and bag manufacturing who paid some amount to stop this ban, the state pushed forward the deadline to November 2016. Other organizations as well contributed against the lobby with the aim of keeping factory workers’ jobs intact as well as preventing the 10-cent per paper bag used pay for all residents in California. All people resident in California should be at the forefront in advocating for the new bill concerning banning plastic bags because their pollution poses far reaching environmental as well as health issues to the lives of human beings, animals, marine life and other species in the ecosystem generally. Environmentalists are the leading groups of people pushing for major changes of human behavior with regard to plastic bags menace. The leading plastic distributors are always stores and malls who give consumers these bags free and after using them go ahead and discard them aimlessly without minding their effects on the environment. This issue has been at the central part of many debates and it has created different opinions from the citizens of California. Those in favor of the ban have come up with measures to curb the plastic bag menace but opponents, a great number of whom are the plastic industry and bag manufacturers are against this move (Kumeh). This has created a row such that the state secretary announced a referendum to let the public decide about this decision. Plastic bags need replacement of a better substitute that will not destroy the environment nor cause any harm to the natural life. The people of California have to pay more attention on the plastic bags issue because it is among the main environmental pollutants we encounter. Arguments of supporters for the use of plastic bags (refutation) There has been the notion that comparing these bags and their alternatives, plastics bags are more environmentally sound. This is one of the most outstanding argument form industries as a way to challenge the move towards their banning. The plastic industries first contend that the main alternative for plastic bag is the paper bag. They come up with an analysis appraisal on the life cycle aiming to prove that plastic bags tend to be more superior environmentally than paper bags since it uses 70% less energy during its manufacturing. In addition, during manufacture plastic bags use much less water than paper bags and due to their lightness, it is easy to transport compared to paper bags that are more bulky (Foote & Mazzolini 209). The industries additionally attest that plastic bags have other benefits that make it suitable for the environment for instance; plastic bags tend to take less space in the landfills due to their compactness and lightweight. They also claim to produce much less greenhouse gases compared to paper bags since they are all containing a non-decomposing property. In addition, when it comes to recycling, plastics use 91% less energy than paper bags. Supporters of plastic bags strongly denied the claims of environmentalists that these plastics cause dangers not only to the environment but to the animal species as well. They also claimed that plastic bags only make up 8% of the coastal litter. However, these claims tend to ignore facts and evidence from scientific researches by both international as well as independent institutions. Ultimately, these industries are opposing the taxes, fines, and bans imposed on plastic bags because they tend to think that there is misguidance in the policies put in place to contain the issue of plastic bag. This is because they are not right in conjunction with environmental situations thereby they are not working to cut the usage of these bags for example the San Francisco ban (Foote & Mazzolini 209). Handling of plastic bags is best handle by civic education to citizens. Other than regulatory approaches for instance bans, the plastic bag industries are encouraging civic education to the population. Here they suggest teaching people on maintenance of these plastic bags after use with the aim of changing their behavior in a way that they will tend to recycle more than dumping. To teach and encourage everyone in making conscious environmental decisions and choices about these bags seem to be a more practical and reasonable substitute than imposing bans and taxes (Foote & Mazzolini 211). Although this is an issue of the state government, the plastic bag industries too should step up and take responsibility of the paper bag menace. If it is about civic education, either they should bring up methods of teaching the mass through media or public lectures but they have failed. The main reason the state government is considering banning these bags is that the distributors have not done much to help controlling the pollution it causes to the environment. Therefore getting rid of them seems to be the best option with the main goal of saving our environment, both land and marine. The industrialists pose this claim with a bid to explain the notion that literacy is the first move towards a plastic free environment. This is so because if people know of the right way to deal with plastic bags, then there will manifest minimal if no pollution on our lands and waters. Why plastic bags need to be banned (support) The state of California alone spends up to 500 million dollars every year in cleaning and collection services with the aim of trying to stop trash, majorly the plastic bags from polluting rivers, oceans, lands, as well as the beach. This sum of money is under the exploitation of the municipality budget who are in charge of this program that ranges from water sweeping the streets, public education, maintaining the flow of storm water to avoid deposition of these trash in water bodies, body clean ups, and clean up and collection of litter (Weis 58). In any case, the state government can phase out plastic bags in order to save a lot of capital that would otherwise put in use to control plastic bags. Considering the economy everywhere, the state government should not have such a heft budget in maintaining waste that they can get rid of through passage of a law that bans the use and manufacture of plastic bags. Through this, they can introduce other degradable bags for use and will not need much attention because they are harmful to the environment. Banning plastic bags will cut upon costs that have to be incurred in trying to clear their presence on the environment. Moreover, such money used in combating their pollution can be mainstreamed to achieving other developments for instance providing proper amenities to the citizens like healthcare. Plastic bags are killer of marine life as well as other ecological species lives forms. For instance, in California alone, about 123,000 tones of plastic bags each year make its way to the ocean making the weight of trash to about 100 million tons over the years and this has outweighed planktons (Environment California). These bags are very dangerous to organisms living in water bodies more specially to mammalian animals. These animals will tend to see the plastic bags as a meal due to their texture, size, and shape. Once ingested, these bags can cause either suffocation or even indigestion by blocking the digestive tract of these animals, which will lead to eventual death. A good instance is the situation of 2010 in Seattle where a near-adult gray whale died on the beach but it was previously on good health. Scientists assigned to examine the body found about 20 plastic bags in its digestive tract. This was the fifth one of its kind to die (Hibbard). It is very rare for an animal to survive after ingesting plastic bag. It can either suffocate and die instantly or stay longer and die slowly due to toxic accumulation caused by blockage of intestines. Marine researchers like Charles J. Moore also argue that plastic pollution on oceans is so dangerous that it kills more marine life than climate change. Therefore, at the rate at which plastic bags find their way to the waterways and animals ingesting them, it brings up an imbalance in the environment of the water bodies. As one species starts to die off in the ocean or any other water body, then this will affect the rest of other different species since in the water bodies there is interdependence among living organisms. This comes with a lot of support from people for instance Nathan Weaver of Environment California says how the ban is a great move ahead, since actions undertaken in limited hours should not compromise our entire lives and future generations. An average plastic bag takes hundreds of years before it can breakdown and even then, it does not fully degrade, hence posing a danger to animals. At some point, these plastic bags can end up in the woodlands and forest and it will pose a high threat on the wildlife more so for the herbivorous animals. Because these plastic bags decay at a very slow rate, the chances of it being harmless are minimal. Plastic bags have been responsible for a number of wildlife deaths as well as inhibition of soil nutrients hence making the land barren to withstand vegetation (Wagner). Plastic bags have the ability to kill animals always as research determine how a single plastic bag is capable of killing an average of one animal every three months either through inhalation or ingestion unintentionally. Considering the number of plastic bags in our ecosystem then that equates to every life held within that particular environment (Wagner). Once an animal dies due to such accidents, the ecosystem equilibrium shifts and there will be lack of balance hence leading to starvation within the food chain. These effects can also be devastating to humans and it will be more like a suicide because we killed ourselves by the same products we are defending to stay in our lives yet there are better options and alternatives. Plastic bags leave toxins in the soil and so are the food produced through agriculture. Once plastics bags are disposed, they never decompose and thus they remain in the soil and continue to produce toxins that make the soil unhealthy. This soil becomes unworthy for agricultural activities and thus any plants grown end up being toxic and not worth of consumption. However, if consumed, they pose threatening effects to their health and may bring diseases that were not anticipated. Animals that consume toxinated vegetation also stand at a risk of suffering ill health as well. This is thus a reason as to why there should be a banning as regards to the usage of plastic bags and their alternatives produced to ensure that people’s health is safeguarded and that the environment is maintained because they are friendly. Land is becoming scarce considering the growing population of human and this makes it harder to find land acceptable and available for landfills. Even though there could be landfills, with time they will be full and eventually start to leak thus creating a threat to the groundwater supplies. This is the main reason why communities are pushing a campaign against landfills going by the approach of “not in my back yard” (Starr & McMillan 485). For a campaign as this to be effective is because people are realizing how plastic bags are being harmful not only for animal lives but to human lives as well. Such campaigns can come in handy in trying to gather a mass in support of the ban against using plastic bags. In addition, the land can be used for more beneficial use other than as landfills. For instance, there can be major developments that can be beneficial to citizens for instance urban development planning. Agriculture can be other beneficial use that can be accorded to lands. Scientific reports also claim how toxins from the plastic bag packaging leach into our bodies. For instance, the Environment Working Group conducted a research study in 2004 whereby they examined the types and levels of toxins in the blood of the umbilical cord of 10 unborn babies in hospitals around the U.S. The results were shocking as they found about 200 chemicals per tested child and this shows how pollution has taken a toll of us such that this pollution affects the unborn. Therefore, for the state of California to decide and ban plastic bags it is not only a cleanup move but also to protect the health of people against diseases from toxicity. This legislation is a rapid and necessary response against a set of hazards in our ecology that need elimination for a better living environment (Russo). This fight, debate, and campaign against plastic bags is not just a hygienic move but matter of social justice and public health. For someone to understand the need for this move, they first have to understand the heath as well as the environmental risks associated with plastic bags. When someone tries to defend the plastic bag production in the name of income and employment, he or she tends to be selfish by putting their goals ahead of other life forms. Plastic bags also tend to spoil the beauty of a place due to its litter as well as causing blight on the seaside and other natural environments. Due to blighting of the scenery, it has led to low turnout of tourist in places like beaches and camping sites. Although they do not contribute a lot in littering, plastic bags are light therefore can easily scatter when the wind is blowing. In addition, these plastic bags are colored and conspicuous hence being easy to spot (Sugii 9). Furthermore, these bags will stay in the ecosystem for very long time because they do no degrade. A city that has lots of plastic bags litter is unappealing to the residents and even visitors. This can even chase off tourists that wish to tour the said town because of its ill state that they may dislike. Plastic bags can block drainages or can also fill ditches and during heavy rains, flooding can be a major problem. This yet the other menace posed by the utilization and poor disposal of plastic bags. As it’s widely reported that flood can be a major issue threatening lives in many cities and even leads to death. Floods contribute to the collapsing of houses and other constructions such as bridges. Any persons held up in the houses thus may die or even suffer injuries. In addition, broken bridges hinder the passage of cars and thus transport is curtailed. Another thing is that floods may wash off property estimated at billions of money hence interfering with people’s stability economically. Plastic bags clog into the sorting machines used in curbside programs when put together with other recyclables like beverage cups and other containers (Terry). Another reason why banning these plastic bags is a good solution is that after reusing they become worn out and people throw them because recycling is an option but it is very problematic. Therefore, to solve this one needs to take the plastic bags back to the recycling centers or the stores of which only a few people can do this. For instance, in 2007, the state government of California directed all malls, supermarkets, and stores to have plastic bag bins for drop off after use so that collection for recycling can be easy. Unfortunately, this program was never successful because as of 2009, the stores only collected 3% of the plastic bags they gave out therefore the 97% went where it should not have gone (Terry). Plastic bags are recyclable but a new plastic bag is not from 100% recycled content hence it gives us a reason as to why we do not need them anymore. Whether they come from recycled plastic bags or not, these materials are dangerous when let loose to the environment. In addition, as they go through recycling more times, they eventually lose their tensile and they will not have any use. Once retired, they still cannot be biodegradable as papers therefore as much as we recycle in the end they will still find their way into our environment that needs conservation to sustain life. Personal Point of View (my opinion) We know that plastic bags are non organic hence they stay forever yet we only utilize them for limited hours. For instance, it takes less than 30 minutes to use the bags in carrying shopping and groceries from the mall to the house. Afterwards we throw away these plastic papers because their use is over but we do not have to rely on these short-term conveniences anymore, instead we should choose long-term sustainability. Plastic bags have devastating effects to the environment and despite the objections to prevent banning these bags solely for the sake of convenience, the damages it causes to the environment need immediate control. Such effects as suffocation of children have been associated with the negligent disposal of plastic bags and this is a strong view as to why they should face banning. In addition, the fact they lead to the death of animals that eat them makes it advisable to ban them The repercussions of plastic bag pollution are deep, life threatening and long-term. There is no effective way to limit these devastating effects of plastic bags while they are on the environment since there is no clear disposal strategy that can help eradicate their problem to the environment. Reusing this bag is one of the strategies considered but it will not be effective since most people cannot be able to reuse due to the store policy and in addition, plastic bags have a short lifespan before they wear out. In California alone, numerous factories make reusable bags that have the potential of being more productive and saving once plastic bags are off the stores and shopping centers. Considering the negative effects the plastic bag has on our environment, we need to be responsible and step up in pushing to stop the use of plastic bags. For a change, it has to start with us the consumers. Rather than going shopping to ask for a plastic bag, every household should have a reusable bag for such utilities. In addition, the shopping centers should also discourage plastic bags and if the paper bag seems expensive then they should encourage the reusable bags. Through this way, the state government will not be in dire need of laws and referendums to seek public opinion in banning the plastic bags. Conclusion Reducing or eliminating of plastic bags from cities and states has been one of the best solutions to stop it impact on the environment once discarded by consumers since its consideration as an enemy of the environment. Consumers have been enjoying their use in various activities of our lives but after one or two applications, we throw away these plastic bags. This is wastage of resources as well as energy in its production. Because the environment is always under pollution by different types of activities, for plastic bags, it is easy to control because it has alternatives that are more efficient for example paper bags, which are degradable. As more people continue to get more information about plastic pollution, it makes it easier for the ban of plastic bags to go on without much complication. However, the issue gets complicated once environmentalists and plastic bag industries gets out their own opinions because they will always be at logger heads. Plastic bag industry representatives argue how the ban will shake the economy due to lose of jobs, money, as well as taxes to the states. Contrary, environmentalists argue how life will be better without plastic bags because we are losing more than what we are making. This argument tends to tear people apart on who tend to support the ban before everyone started to justify their opinion in support and against the ban. In addition, there are better alternatives for the plastic bags, so these plastic bag industries can change their production to an environment friendly product because this is the only option at hand. Overall, the ban should go ahead because the environment is what holds both human and animal life and the more we destroy it, the worse the future will get. California in particular is a coastal state therefore it has to do everything it can to protect not only its waters but set an example to the rest on how to protect the environment for tomorrow’s life. Therefore, this ban will be very beneficial to everybody. Work Cited “Keep Trash Out of the Pacific.” Environment California. 2015. Web. 30Th April 2015. Foote, Stephanie & Mazzolini, Elizabeth. Histories of the Dust heap: Waste, Material Cultures, Social Justice. Cambridge, Mass: MIT Press, 2012. Print. Freinkel, Susan. Plastic: A Toxic Love Story. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2011. Internet resource. Hibbard, Rita. “Gray Whale Dies Bringing Us A Message With Stomach Full Of Plastic Trash.” Investigate West. 2010. Web. 30Th April 2015. Kumeh, Titania. “New plastic bag ban receives mixed reactions from customers, storeowners in Oakland.” Oakland North. 2015. Web. 30Th April 2015. Russo, Tracy. “The State Of California Bans the Plastic Bag.” Plastic Pollution Coalition. 2014. Web. 30Th April 2015. Starr, Cecie., & McMillan, Beverly. Human Biology. Cengage Learning, 2013. Internet resource Sugii, Takeo. Plastic Bag Reduction: Policies to Reduce Environmental Impact. ProQuest. 2008. Internet resource. Terry, Beth. Plastic-free: How I Kicked the Plastic Habit and How You Can Too. New York: Sky horse Publishing, 2015. Internet resource. Wagner, Jamey. “The Effects of Plastic Bags on Environment.” Health Guidance. 2015. Web. 30Th April 2015. Weis, Judith S. Marine Pollution: What Everyone Needs to Know. Oxford University Press, 2015. Print. Read More