Post 1 - Battle of the Plastic Bag

            Plastic bags have become a symbol of American Consumerism: a tool that is easy to use and even easier to throw away. The easiest part being that, in America, we hardly ever have to see the results of our consumerist society first-hand. Nevertheless, plastic bags are becoming a hazard to the environment and people all over the world.

            There were many surprising, and shocking, things I found in the video. It truly made me think because in my own apartment, my roommates and I seem to own what feels like a record number of plastic bags; we have drawers and shelves full of them, and the number only seems to keep growing. As a country, we go through billions every year, most of which just end up in landfills, decomposing for anywhere from 400 to 1000 years. It was disturbing to see the effects of plastic bags in other countries such as Kenya and India and, although we may not feel those effects directly, they very much affect the environment and therefore the world as a whole. This made me think about all the plastic bags I have thrown away just in the hopes of shrinking our growing pile. Though I cannot explicitly see the effects my action, I now know/realize the damage that it can have. It also made me curious about the possibilities of recycling plastic bags in Milwaukee. I know the curbside recycling system in Milwaukee does not accept them; however, a small number of businesses do. Now I know of a better way to get rid of the massive amount of plastic bags I have acquired. 

            But what I found most interesting is the substance from which plastic bags are made. When the question was posed in the documentary, I was slightly ashamed that I couldn’t answer it, and I was even more shocked to learn they come from oil. Because oil is a fossil fuel that is depleting, this not only has local effects, but also worldwide impacts. 

            I was particularly impressed with the woman from the small town in England for her method of solving plastic bag waste. Simply by showing a documentary to local business owners, she was able to completely change her town’s habits and relationships to plastic bags, removing them from the picture altogether. Other places, such as Mumbai, India, are taking legal action, banning thin plastic bags completely and giving heavy fines to businesses for possessing them. 

            In my opinion, the issue of plastic bags needs to be dealt with locally first. I believe that if it is dealt with in local areas, then eventually taking action on a global scale may be easier or more effective. I understand that completely shutting down the plastic bag industry is highly improbable, but educating people about recycling and the damaging effects of plastic bags as well as setting up better recycling systems may help to limit the large amount we use and waste. Another option would be to take legal action, like in San Francisco. If implemented in the right way, it could have more positive effects than simply hoping that people will recycle. No matter the pathway, I do believe that plastic bag waste is an issue that we should all be concerned about and something we should all take action to change. 

An interesting article about plastic bag use in Milwaukee...