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we need to make legislation banning plastic.

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we need to make legislation banning plastic.

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we can save the fish in the great lakes if we ban plastic.

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we can save the fish in the great lakes if we ban plastic.

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cardboard boxes work just as well as polystyrene foam containers.

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cardboard boxes work just as well as polystyrene foam containers.

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This will happen to our great lakes if we don't ban plastic.

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This will happen to our great lakes if we don't ban plastic.

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Dear Senator Stabenow:
I love marine life.  One time my family and I went on a vacation to see marine life up close. I bet you love marine life too but there is a problem and that problem is pollution.  The pollution is killing marine life and must be stopped.  That's why you need to write legislation to stop using things that can pollute the ocean and great lakes and use things that can be recycled.

Marine life is dying because of pollution.  Plastic pollution is one of the biggest problems the oceans and great lakes are facing. Many people like plastic and similar things that they can just throw away after they are done.  This seems like a good thing but where does the plastic go?  Most of it goes into the ocean and great lakes and can endanger marine life. “One recent study suggests as much as 8 million metric tons (8.8 million short tons) of plastic wound up in the ocean in 2010 alone.” (“Tiny Plastic Big Problem”).  Marine life sometimes eats the plastic in the ocean and great lakes because they think it is food.  When eaten plastic can kill, and plastic has contaminants. If a marine animal eats plastic and then ”When a second animal eats that first critter, the contaminants move into the new animal’s body. With each meal, more contaminants enter its tissues. In this way, what had started as trace amounts of a contaminant will become increasingly concentrated as they move up the food chain.”  (“Tiny Plastic Big Problem”).

The best way to stop pollution is by recycling.  “Experts are encouraging people to look at alternatives like canvas bags and glass, metal or paper straws.”  (“In Thailand, 17 Pounds of Plastic Kills Whale, Highlighting Ocean Pollution”).  Those things can be recycled.  Things that can be recycled are not part of pollution because they are not thrown away. Instead, they are used again and again and again over and over because they are made of things that can be recycled.  In some states “Law also recommends asking restaurants to stop using polystyrene foam containers. These break up quickly and are not recyclable.”  (“Tiny Plastic, Big Problem”).  There are things that work just as well as polystyrene foam containers that are not made of polystyrene foam and can be recycled.  For example, cardboard is better because it can be used again and again and cardboard decomposes as well so even if it gets lost it decomposes so the marine life is safe.  This is why you should write legislation banning plastic and other materials and instead use materials that can be recycled.

Senator Stabenow, I know you love the great lakes so we need to write legislation to keep the great lakes clean and healthy.  By banning plastic and other materials and instead using materials that can be recycled or used again and again. The marine life in the great lakes and ocean can be happy and the people have materials that work just as well as plastic and other materials but they can use it again or recycle it. So we need to write legislation banning plastic and other materials and instead use materials that can be recycled.