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Newsela | Big Questions: Paper or plastic?

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Newsela | How to use less plastic in the new year

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Newsela | 10 things you can do to help save the Earth

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From taking public transportation to eating more sustainable foods, here are 10 simple ways you can make a less harmful impact on the environment.

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California's bag ban hurting the job market? | Fox Business Video

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Explore National Geographic. A world leader in geography, cartography and exploration.

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Toronto has something in common with Los Angeles. Canada's largest city is the latest to enact a plastic bag ban.

The motion to ban plastic shopping bags in Toronto came in a vote of 24-20 at Wednesday's city council meeting. The ban is anticipated to take full effect next January. The council also voted to end the nickel fee for plastic bags, which will be effective next month.

Calling it a surprise vote, Toronto Mayor Rob Ford told a local radio station the ban is "the dumbest thing council has done."

Councillor David Shiner introduced the motion to ban plastics bags. According to reports, the bag ban vote came "without legal advice, with no public consultation, no report from city staff and no statutory notice."

Ford predicted the ban will face legal challenges.

"It is not a smart move by the council to ban plastic bags," Ford said after vote, according to The Globe and Mail. "I don't think it is going to hold up in court. You can't tell people they can't give out plastic bags. To me it's ludicrous."

Apparently after the decision was made, Shiner and Councillor Anthony Perruzza celebrated by "ripping a plastic bag," according to the Toronto Sun.

"I think it's a great victory today because we've gotten rid of the fee and we're getting rid of the bag and that's really what we want to do," Shiner said.

The ban prohibits Toronto retail stores from providing customers with single-use plastic carryout bags, including compostable, biodegradable, photodegradable or similar-type bags.

Toronto joins L.A., Seattle, and San Francisco who also voted to enact plastic bag bans.

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Toronto is latest city to ban plastic bags

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Toronto has something in common with Los Angeles. Canada's largest city is the latest to enact a plastic bag ban. The motion to ban plastic shopping bags in Toronto came in a vote of 24-20 at Wednesday's city council meeting. The ban is anticipated to take full effect next January.

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Plastic retail bags - the kind you get from your grocer or at the corner store - are being targeted for bans and taxes in communities around the country, regardless of the unintended consequences. Bans and taxes have a negative impact on working families and seniors on fixed incomes, but they don't help the environment in any meaningful way-in fact they can cause bigger problems.

Banning and taxing recyclable, reusable products doesn't make sense, even in the most well-intentioned scenarios. Keep reading to find out why.

Environment
Plastic bags are the most environmentally friendly option at the checkout. Find out the surprising green truth for yourself.

Recycling
Plastic bag recycling is simple and effective, thanks to thousands of recycling drop-off locations across the country.

Jobs and Economy
Bag bans and taxes make trips to the grocery store more expensive, especially for low- and fixed-income families - with no meaningful impact on the environment to back them up. They also threaten thousands of U.S. manufacturing jobs.

Health
Be mindful with your reusable canvas and non-woven bags. Without frequent washing and appropriate storage, reusable bags can harbor dangerous bacteria.

Reuse
Nearly 90% of Americans reuse plastic bags. What do you do with yours?

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Bans and taxes have a negative impact on working families and seniors on fixed incomes, but they don't help the environment in any meaningful way-in fact they can cause bigger problems.

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AP

New York City's do-gooders are at it again, this time looking to put a 10-cent fee on each plastic bag that stores normally provide to their customers without charge.

This isn't just another burden on the city's beleaguered small retailers, it's also a terrible idea for public health.

When then-Mayor Mike Bloomberg pushed a similar proposal a few years back, it never even got a hearing. But the new bill already has 19 City Council members signed on as co-sponsors.

And Deputy Mayor Anthony Shorris told WNYC radio this month that the fee is a direction the de Blasio administration is "very supportive of."

I long ago lost count of how many regulations of the past decade have unintended, bad consequences that hit the city's small retailers the hardest.

These beleaguered store owners already face an army of enforcement agents who treat them like a cash cow. The city's bids to promote "the public good" never take into consideration the health of these stores or the neighborhood economies that they support.

Our local army of regulators belongs to what the author Saul Bellow called the Good Intentions Paving Co.

This company's projects are always well-meant, but when they turn out to have undesired costs, tradeoffs and side-effects, the company leaders sincerely believe that none of the blame can possibly attach to them. After all, their intentions were good!

The irony here is that the bag fee poses a direct threat to New Yorkers' health.

The point of the bag tax is to force consumers to substitute reusable bags for the no-longer-free plastic ones.

Problem is, reusable bags play a significant role in food contamination unless they're properly washed on a regular basis - something people rarely do.

In a public-health study done at the University of Arizona, researchers found that only 3 percent of shoppers with multi-use bags said they regularly washed them. The same study found bacteria in 99 percent. Half carried coliform bacteria, and 8 percent carried E. coli - an indicator of fecal contamination.

"I classify them as pretty dirty things, like the bottom of your shoes," said Ryan Sinclair of the Loma Linda University School of Public Health, a co-author of the study.

As the study showed, the reusable bags function as a Petri dish for all kinds of contaminants. Further, three-fourths of their users acknowledged that they don't use separate bags for meats and for vegetables, and about a third said they used the bags for, well, all sorts of things (storing snacks, toting books).

A study by the Centers for Disease Control verified the dangers: "Reusable bags, if not properly washed between uses, create the potential for cross-contamination of foods.

"This potential exists when raw meat products and foods traditionally eaten uncooked (fruits and vegetables) are carried in the same bags, either together or between uses. This risk can be increased by the growth of bacteria in the bags."

What about the environmental benefit? At best, it's smaller than the do-gooders imagine.

It takes less energy to make plastic bags than the canvas ones that the "reusers" usually push - and, in fact, consumers find multiple post-store uses for the plastic, from in-home trash bags to padding in a storage box.

Yes, most wind up in the garbage eventually - but before we restrict them, let's figure out ways to make plastic-bag recycling more efficient - something that the Department of Sanitation has failed to do.

Polls throughout the country find that people overwhelmingly reject bans and regressive taxes. Imagine the results if people knew more about the health threat posed by reusable bags.

Let's shelve the bag fee and search for better ways to aid the environment that don't burden our small businesses and threaten our citizens' health.

Brad Gerstman is a lawyer, lobbyist and co-founder of the New York Association of Grocery Stores.

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The City Council's plan to promote E. coli

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New York City's do-gooders are at it again, this time looking to put a 10-cent fee on each plastic bag that stores normally provide to their customers without charge. This isn't just another burden...

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Skip to main content

How Plastic Is Trashing the Planet

Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Picture Collection Creative/Getty Images

But the very qualities that make plastic so useful to us also make it incredibly dangerous to the environment. Plastic doesn't just go away. Instead, it breaks down into very small pieces over time. And those pieces will stick around for hundreds or perhaps even thousands of years.

For decades, people have sipped from plastic straws and toted groceries in plastic bags without a second thought. And all that plastic-much of it used only once-has added up. Worldwide, we've produced a staggering 9.2 billion tons of plastic since the 1950s. (Think of it this way: One of the heaviest statues in the United States, the Statue of Liberty, weighs 225 tons.)

Where does all our discarded plastic go? Only a small amount of it is ever recycled. Much of the rest ends up in the ocean, threatening the lives of the creatures that live there.

The problem is massive-and projected to get worse. "The amount of plastic produced is growing more and more rapidly," warns Ted Siegler, a global waste management expert. By 2050, it's estimated that we'll have created 13 billion tons of plastic waste.

That's why, around the globe, individuals, companies, and even entire countries are working to reduce their plastic usage. But will those efforts be enough?

But the very qualities that make plastic so useful to us also make it incredibly dangerous to the environment. Plastic does not just go away. Instead, it breaks down into very small pieces over time. Those pieces will stick around for hundreds of years, perhaps even thousands of years.

For decades, people have sipped from plastic straws and carried groceries in plastic bags without a second thought. Much of that plastic is used only once. And it all has added up. Worldwide, we have produced a shocking 9.2 billion tons of plastic since the 1950s. (Think of it this way: The Statue of Liberty is one of the heaviest statues in the United States. It weighs 225 tons.)

Where does all our tossed-out plastic go? Only a small amount of it is ever recycled. Much of the rest ends up in the ocean. That threatens the lives of the creatures that live there.

The problem is huge-and expected to get worse. "The amount of plastic produced is growing more and more rapidly," warns Ted Siegler. He is a global waste management expert. It is estimated that we will have created 13 billion tons of plastic waste by the year 2050.

That is why individuals, companies, and even entire countries around the world are working to reduce their use of plastic. But will those efforts be enough?

Tons of plastic produced globally in 2015

Source: National Geographic

©John Cancalosi/Biosphoto

When plastic waste ends up in the ocean, the results are often tragic. Earlier this year, rescuers found a sick pilot whale near the shore of southern Thailand. It couldn't swim. In fact, it could hardly breathe.

Later, as veterinarians tended to the animal, it vomited five plastic grocery bags. The whale died shortly after. Tests eventually revealed that it had more than 17 pounds of plastic in its stomach, including another 80 or so plastic bags.

That's just one example of how plastic can be deadly to animals. Nearly 700 ocean species-from zooplankton and fish to sea turtles and dolphins-have been harmed by plastic. That damage ranges from eating it to getting stuck in it. For example, some animals get trapped in plastic six-pack drink holders. Others, including many bird species, suffocate inside plastic grocery bags.

And, of course, many sea creatures-like the pilot whale-eat plastic. In the ocean, sunlight, waves, and heat often break down plastic into pieces tinier than a pinkie fingernail. Those bits, called microplastics, become coated with algae over time. That makes them smell like food to many animals.

Some sea creatures are fooled into thinking microplastics are real food. They stuff themselves with it, to the point that they don't have room in their stomachs for any actual food. They die from starvation as a result.

Eating plastic hurts animals in other ways too. The toxins in the plastic can seriously affect their behavior and digestion, and the ecosystem as a whole, says Matthew Savoca. He is a scientist who studies the effects of plastic on marine life.

"It affects not just the individual animals that eat plastic, but the animals that eat those animals," he says.

When plastic waste ends up in the ocean, the results are often tragic. Earlier this year, rescuers found a sick pilot whale near the shore of southern Thailand. It could not swim. In fact, it could hardly breathe.

Later, as veterinarians took care of the animal, it vomited five plastic grocery bags. The whale died shortly after. Tests later showed that it had more than 17 pounds of plastic in its stomach. That included another 80 or so plastic bags.

That is just one example of how plastic can be deadly to animals. Nearly 700 ocean species have been harmed by plastic. Species from zooplankton and fish to sea turtles and dolphins have been affected. The damage ranges from eating plastic to getting stuck in it. For example, some animals get trapped in plastic six-pack drink holders. Others, including many bird species, suffocate inside plastic grocery bags.

And, of course, many sea creatures eat plastic, as the pilot whale did. In the ocean, sunlight, waves, and heat often break down plastic. It winds up in pieces tinier than a pinkie fingernail. Such bits are called microplastics. Over time, they become coated with algae. That makes the bits of plastic smell like food to many animals.

Some sea creatures are fooled into thinking microplastics are real food. They stuff themselves with it. Then they do not have room in their stomachs for any actual food. They die from starvation.

Eating plastic hurts animals in other ways too. The toxins in the plastic can seriously affect their behavior and digestion, and the ecosystem as a whole, says Matthew Savoca. He is a scientist who studies the effects of plastic on marine life.

"It affects not just the individual animals that eat plastic, but the animals that eat those animals," he says.

Percentage of plastic that is recycled around the world

Source: National Geographic

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Skip to main content How Plastic Is Trashing the Planet Peter Stackpole/The LIFE Picture Collection Creative/Getty Images But the very qualities that make plastic so useful to us also make it incredibly dangerous to the environment. Plastic doesn't just go away. Instead, it breaks down into very small pieces over time.

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Plastic bags should be banned. Plastic is non-bio-degradable and thus causes pollution; as it cannot be recycled, burning plastic diffuses harmful smoke. Plastic also emits some radiation. Plastic bags can prove to be a choke hazard for small animals and people. Plastic water bottles are also thought to be carcinogenic.

All the Yes points:

1. environmental damage

2. Repairing the Damage

3. The Great Waste

4. Non-biodegradable

5. They litter our streets

6. Plastic bags suffocate and kill

7. Wildlife concerns

8. Spread Awareness

9. Environment destroyement

10. It messes up future with too much plastic bags and ends ups that we might have to leave earth.

All the No points:

1. No need to ban, add a tax

2. Used as a marketing ploy

3. Freedom of choice

4. people forget their re-useable bags

5. Causes expense to consumers in a time of recession

6. causes loss of jobs

7. People can and do recycle plastic bags

8. the environmental war needs to be won elsewhere

9. Loss of Technology

10. so what do we carry our shopping in?

11. what if u bought them and u livd far away and you frove to the shopping centre and you 4 got youor plastic bags

12. other packaging

13. products making

14. PLASTIC BAGS DONT HARM THE ENVIRONMENT

15. NO,need to ban just reduce the use of plastic

environmental damage

Repairing the Damage

The Great Waste

Non-biodegradable

They litter our streets

Plastic bags suffocate and kill

Well if Animals have to die, just force them to mate as much as you can until they are over populated, then if some are killed it will be ok, and the same thing for children. If each couple has atleast 10 children, then out population will be atleast five times of what it is.
Essentially people do not seem to be bothered about ruining animals lives, or often even those of other human beings through other forms of pollution so why be bothered about plastic bags in particular?

Yes plastic bags can cause damage but why are people throwing plastic bags in forested areas and other wildlife habitats. The civic agencies should be making sure that plastic bags do not get to such places, those they gater from streets should be recycled or reused which is possible meaning we really need an improvement in infrastructure to solve the problem.

Wildlife concerns

Plastic bags often end up floating in the seas- the home to many mammals, fish and invertebrates. One species that is at great risk from plastic bags is the already endangered Leatherback turtle (amongst others including the Green turtle, see the article below).

Turtles often mistake floating plastic bags for jellyfish- their only food source. The tragedy is that once they eat the plastic bags, they can get caught up and wrapped round the gut or in the throat, causing suffocation and starvation.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-519770/Banish-The-Bags-The-Mail-launches-campaign-clean-country-planet.html

Spread Awareness

Environment destroyement

Paper

Paper can be reused. If all you do is put cans in it, its not dirty. They can be reused. I have many bags that i reuse. They are very useful. All you do is grab some before leaving and you're set.

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Within the united states the are more trees grown than cut down every year. Americans plant roughly 1.5 billion trees. Our Paper companies are committed to the Sustainable Forestry Initiative which is an organization that understands the need to use trees as resources and does its best to keep trees alive in the world so that they can always exist. Remember, without trees, paper companies would be without a job. why would they want that? They are not mindless idiots.

It messes up future with too much plastic bags and ends ups that we might have to leave earth.

No need to ban, add a tax

Used as a marketing ploy

Freedom of choice

people forget their re-useable bags

Causes expense to consumers in a time of recession

causes loss of jobs

People can and do recycle plastic bags

You might as well argue that a very small percentage of the human population has A.I.D.S or S.A.R.S or Cancer. Should we stop fighting disease, since most people at any particular point in time, are healthy? If we let the sale and purchase and inefficient disposal of plastic bags(including large black garbage bags) continue then more will be produced to be sold and inefficiently disposed in the future.If we stop production and sales, here and now, then one more environmental hazard(existing and in the making) will be checked off the list.

As we all know, demand causes sales and production. Stop buying and/or using plastic bags and production & sales will eventually cease.

To argue that plastic bags once BANNED will be replaced by more plastic bags. Is almost as redundant and (oxymoron-ic) as my posting the same rebuttal against this AND the next NO point.

the environmental war needs to be won elsewhere

Loss of Technology

so what do we carry our shopping in?

one of the world biggest and stupidest ideas of mankind! how the hell do we carry our shopping home if we catch the bus? take the trolley home and then never return the trolley! BRILLIANT!
SEROUSLY though plastic carrier bags should be the least of our worries and anyway they do are not affecting our environment big way

what if u bought them and u livd far away and you frove to the shopping centre and you 4 got youor plastic bags

other packaging

products making

most of the products made with plastic are not exactly the "really essential "commodities
and moreover they didnt exist during our ancestors time , they never had any "difficulties of present time" technological development upto an extent is okay ,but further of it leads only to sorrow and devastation. It will not affect the products. We are talking about plastic bags. Not any plastic.

PLASTIC BAGS DONT HARM THE ENVIRONMENT

Is infrastructure really the problem? It is because we think that it is someone else's problem that we misuse the plastic bags. Most people don't even care about that the misuse so why bother to teach them when we can save the environment, and just get rid of them completely! Which should come first; the Earth's environment, or puny little plastic bags? Unfortunately most plastic bags are not biodegradable, so yes, plastic bags do harm the environment. If you are asking people to USE the plastic bags, wouldn't that mean more people throwing them on the streets? Paper bags can equally well do the job, they hold stuff just as well as plastic bags do.

Of course both types of bags have disadvantages. So while it can be asked, "what if the paper gets soggy and breaks? What do we do then?' Well, I would respond with 'Well, what if the weight is too heavy and the handles of the plastic bag snaps?" Paper bags are just as good as plastic ones, and so do many people around the world agree. I bet there was even a country where they had never heard about plastic bags, because they thought paper was just such a fantastic invention. So; the Earth's environment, or puny little plastic bags?

So what about Infrastructure or what ever that is. They kill alot of animals you might see this picture and be horrified by the effect of plastic check this site on the below. http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/bags-choke-e1336237536746.jpg and also humans too this is not fake just to tell you i also could lose population!

NO,need to ban just reduce the use of plastic

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Should Plastic Bags Be Banned? - DebateWise

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Do you think plastic bags should be banned? We present the top arguments from both sides so you can make an educated decision on what to think.