How is environmental waste impacting local communities and how can it be minimized through widespread action?
The Environmental Impact of Single-Use Plastics
Single-use plastics, such as straws, bags, and packaging materials, have a severe impact on the environment. They are designed to be used once and then discarded, but they can linger in the environment for hundreds of years, as they do not biodegrade. As a result, they accumulate in landfills, oceans, and other natural habitats, where they pose a threat to wildlife and marine life. 14 million tons of plastic gets dumped into the ocean each year and plastic makes up 80% of the debris in the ocean! These plastic particles can break down into smaller fragments known as microplastics, which can be ingested by animals, causing health problems and even death. Single-use plastics also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, as they are often made from fossil fuels, and require energy to produce and transport. The impact of single-use plastics on the environment is a significant issue that requires urgent action to reduce their usage and promote sustainable alternatives.
Single- use plastics are also a major contributor to plastic pollution. Because these plastics are lightweight they can be easily carried by the wind and water currents. As a result, they end up in our oceans, and rivers, polluting our ecosystems and harming wildlife. Approximately more than 1 million marine animals are killed each year due to plastic pollution from micro plastics. These microplastics can also accumulate in the seafood we eat. The production of single- use plastics also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Plastic is made from petroleum, a fossil fuel that releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses when extracted and processed. The production process of plastics takes a lot of energy and water, contributing to carbon emissions.
Attempts To Ban Single-Use Plastic Around the World
There are a variety of examples of waste regulation being put into action, preventing further depletion of our environment. In America alone large strides have been made in order to do this. In August of 2014, California became the first state to ban single use plastic bags at large retail stores. This ruling included a 10 cent charge for reusable bags, further encouraging consumers to continue the green cycle. A variety of other states followed suit, the third being New York as of 2019. This ruling applies to most single use bags with an exception for pharmacy, restaurant, and meat/deli bags. It also included a five cent fee per paper bag, with three cents going towards the state’s Environmental Protection Fund and two cents to local governments. After New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, and Vermont have all created similar rulings. Overall, state lawmakers have introduced roughly 95 bills in recent years related to plastic bags, most including a ban, fee, or some way of preempting local government action or improving recycling programs. This shows a step in the right direction taking place in the US.
In order to continue needed change, one has to want to change on their own. This is seen within the Guatemalan city San Pedro La Laguna, where the sale and distribution of single use plastics was banned entirely. This was due to Lake Atitlan, a place crucial to Mayan culture, beginning to become polluted as a result of overflow at a local solid waste facility. This was first completed through government encouragement. Mayor Mauricio Mendez steepened fines on law violations and worked to change the attitude of his citizens via house to house education on environmental benefits and free exchange for reusable items. This approach proved to be successful, resulting in the community rallying around the ban in creative and productive ways. This included voluntary plastic retrieval from the lake, decorations being made from excess plastic, learning to process waste into fuel, etc. This enticement proves that attitude goes a long way when it comes to healthy change. Although, many in the plastic industry tried to penalize this success via attempts at slowing and reversing progress via lawsuits against areas lobbying to maintain plastic use. Regardless of this and many other setbacks, San Pedro La Laguna’s community has proven the ability for a large group of people to unite for a cause.
Waste Bans in Wisconsin
Waukesha/Wisconsin involvements of waste bans: Wisconsin and its involvement in the topic of waste bans started with The Wisconsin Act 302 of 2015 stated, that the bill banned cities/groups from enacting plastic bag bans and more specially from banning any “bag, cup, bottle, can, or other packaging that is designed to be reusable or single use.” The act doesn’t mean there can never be a ban on plastic bags, but it would need action at the state level. The Wisconsin government needs to have a role in making sure that our environment is safe and sustainable. According to a Fox 6 news report on why plastic bags won’t be banned in Wisconsin, “When asked,”paper or plastic?” - Scholz from Wisconsin Grocers association says that the vast majority chose plastic. Clearly, consumerism is a problem with grocery shoppers while shopping choosing plastic rather than the paper bag. The plastic bag in Milwaukee isn’t recycled and usually gets littered. At Milwaukee's material recovery facility, plastic bags are the biggest recycling hazards. They get stuck and wrapped around the equipment, a recycling worker stating “it’s one of the biggest problems at the facility”.
As we began to delve further into the topic, we wanted to further understand the opinions of those being affected by waste locally. This was most seen during our encounter with the Mayor of Waukesha County since 2014; Shawn N. Reilly. Although he believes that “individuals and groups need to continue to push for more efficiencies and less waste” he also stated that “the ban would likely create a backlash, which can lead to hardening people's mindset to be even more opposed to doing their part to keep the environment clean.” So although he does believe that we all need to reduce our waste as much as possible and, maybe even more important, reduce our energy consumption. He thinks that by banning them it would create a greater pushback similar to previous attempts. He also thinks that because most who believe that the ban would be beneficial already use alternatives, that if the ban is not on a regional level it won't be effective.
Additionally, Joanna Salinas, an outreach coordinator for the Waukesha County Green Team, was able to meet with us via video to give her perspective. It is her belief that there should be an incentive instead of punishment to use alternatives to plastic, thereby encouraging businesses on their own without the use of bans. This way, businesses can adapt to bans on plastic themselves. “People don’t like being told what to do” Salinas commented, when asked about the uproar as a result of these bans. The idea behind the ban is plastic lobbyists have poured money into the industry in order to get bans passed. While bans on single use plastics may result in unemployment in plastic industries, it is her perspective that it will create new jobs in different industries. Salinas delved further into this topic “Bans in purple states stir contention, not helpful at all. Individuals need to want to change”. This pressure of making businesses change encourages consumers to change as well, in her eyes causing a domino effect that makes overall mindsets more effective. While she believes the majority of change should be seen in businesses, she believes the government has a part to play as well; “Better to incentivize than punish. Nobody wants to be forced to do anything. There is a government role in incentivizing”. We attempted to reach out to a wider variety of individuals with a wider variety of opinions, but were met with no response.
Alternatives to Waste Bans
The solution for waste is to use the alternative items mentioned in this article. There exists one website named “Earth Hero” This site offers a person a wide selection of biodegradable objects from bags to straws and more!. Adding this website the goal is to show others that many alternatives do exist with many companies willing to share these earth saving items with you. With this in mind, if you are unable to make purchases from this website many other choices do exist. You can always change from using plastic items to reusable cloth based bags which can be used for a much longer time and are less likely to rip unlike plastic bags. Paper bags are often found within stores and are often at the checkout. However while these paper bags are biodegradable, they take far too many resources to produce which result in more resources being pulled from the earth.
Works Cited
Bailey, Caroline. “Eco Friendly Plastic Bag Alternatives for Sustainable Retail Businesses.” Green Business Bureau, 27 Oct. 2022, greenbusinessbureau.com/industries/retail/sustainability-guide-for-retail-plastic-bag-alternatives/.
“Battle over Plastic Bags: Why They Won’t Be Banned in Wisconsin.” FOX 6 Now Milwaukee, 8 May 2017, www.fox6now.com/news/battle-over-plastic-bags-why-they-wont-be-banned-in-wisconsin.
“EarthHero.” EarthHero, 2019, earthhero.com/.
Parker, Laura. “The World’s Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained.” National Geographic, 7 June 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution.
Staff, Aza. “How Do Straws Hurt the Environment?” Www.aza.org, 15 Nov. 2019, www.aza.org/connect-stories/stories/how-do-straws-hurt-the-environment?locale=en.
“State Plastic Bag Legislation.” Www.ncsl.org, www.ncsl.org/environment-and-natural-resources/state-plastic-bag-legislation.
“The Plastic-Production Problem.” Www.biologicaldiversity.org, www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/plastic-production/index.html.
“This Town Was Drowning in Plastic. Now It’s a Model of Sustainability.” Global Citizen, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/guatemala-town-plastic-ban-effects/.
“Wisconsin Legislature: 2015 Wisconsin Act 302.” Docs.legis.wisconsin.gov, docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2015/related/acts/302.
Single-use plastics, such as straws, bags, and packaging materials, have a severe impact on the environment. They are designed to be used once and then discarded, but they can linger in the environment for hundreds of years, as they do not biodegrade. As a result, they accumulate in landfills, oceans, and other natural habitats, where they pose a threat to wildlife and marine life. 14 million tons of plastic gets dumped into the ocean each year and plastic makes up 80% of the debris in the ocean! These plastic particles can break down into smaller fragments known as microplastics, which can be ingested by animals, causing health problems and even death. Single-use plastics also contribute to greenhouse gas emissions, as they are often made from fossil fuels, and require energy to produce and transport. The impact of single-use plastics on the environment is a significant issue that requires urgent action to reduce their usage and promote sustainable alternatives.
Single- use plastics are also a major contributor to plastic pollution. Because these plastics are lightweight they can be easily carried by the wind and water currents. As a result, they end up in our oceans, and rivers, polluting our ecosystems and harming wildlife. Approximately more than 1 million marine animals are killed each year due to plastic pollution from micro plastics. These microplastics can also accumulate in the seafood we eat. The production of single- use plastics also contributes to greenhouse gas emissions. Plastic is made from petroleum, a fossil fuel that releases carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gasses when extracted and processed. The production process of plastics takes a lot of energy and water, contributing to carbon emissions.
Attempts To Ban Single-Use Plastic Around the World
There are a variety of examples of waste regulation being put into action, preventing further depletion of our environment. In America alone large strides have been made in order to do this. In August of 2014, California became the first state to ban single use plastic bags at large retail stores. This ruling included a 10 cent charge for reusable bags, further encouraging consumers to continue the green cycle. A variety of other states followed suit, the third being New York as of 2019. This ruling applies to most single use bags with an exception for pharmacy, restaurant, and meat/deli bags. It also included a five cent fee per paper bag, with three cents going towards the state’s Environmental Protection Fund and two cents to local governments. After New York, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, Oregon, and Vermont have all created similar rulings. Overall, state lawmakers have introduced roughly 95 bills in recent years related to plastic bags, most including a ban, fee, or some way of preempting local government action or improving recycling programs. This shows a step in the right direction taking place in the US.
In order to continue needed change, one has to want to change on their own. This is seen within the Guatemalan city San Pedro La Laguna, where the sale and distribution of single use plastics was banned entirely. This was due to Lake Atitlan, a place crucial to Mayan culture, beginning to become polluted as a result of overflow at a local solid waste facility. This was first completed through government encouragement. Mayor Mauricio Mendez steepened fines on law violations and worked to change the attitude of his citizens via house to house education on environmental benefits and free exchange for reusable items. This approach proved to be successful, resulting in the community rallying around the ban in creative and productive ways. This included voluntary plastic retrieval from the lake, decorations being made from excess plastic, learning to process waste into fuel, etc. This enticement proves that attitude goes a long way when it comes to healthy change. Although, many in the plastic industry tried to penalize this success via attempts at slowing and reversing progress via lawsuits against areas lobbying to maintain plastic use. Regardless of this and many other setbacks, San Pedro La Laguna’s community has proven the ability for a large group of people to unite for a cause.
Waste Bans in Wisconsin
Waukesha/Wisconsin involvements of waste bans: Wisconsin and its involvement in the topic of waste bans started with The Wisconsin Act 302 of 2015 stated, that the bill banned cities/groups from enacting plastic bag bans and more specially from banning any “bag, cup, bottle, can, or other packaging that is designed to be reusable or single use.” The act doesn’t mean there can never be a ban on plastic bags, but it would need action at the state level. The Wisconsin government needs to have a role in making sure that our environment is safe and sustainable. According to a Fox 6 news report on why plastic bags won’t be banned in Wisconsin, “When asked,”paper or plastic?” - Scholz from Wisconsin Grocers association says that the vast majority chose plastic. Clearly, consumerism is a problem with grocery shoppers while shopping choosing plastic rather than the paper bag. The plastic bag in Milwaukee isn’t recycled and usually gets littered. At Milwaukee's material recovery facility, plastic bags are the biggest recycling hazards. They get stuck and wrapped around the equipment, a recycling worker stating “it’s one of the biggest problems at the facility”.
As we began to delve further into the topic, we wanted to further understand the opinions of those being affected by waste locally. This was most seen during our encounter with the Mayor of Waukesha County since 2014; Shawn N. Reilly. Although he believes that “individuals and groups need to continue to push for more efficiencies and less waste” he also stated that “the ban would likely create a backlash, which can lead to hardening people's mindset to be even more opposed to doing their part to keep the environment clean.” So although he does believe that we all need to reduce our waste as much as possible and, maybe even more important, reduce our energy consumption. He thinks that by banning them it would create a greater pushback similar to previous attempts. He also thinks that because most who believe that the ban would be beneficial already use alternatives, that if the ban is not on a regional level it won't be effective.
Additionally, Joanna Salinas, an outreach coordinator for the Waukesha County Green Team, was able to meet with us via video to give her perspective. It is her belief that there should be an incentive instead of punishment to use alternatives to plastic, thereby encouraging businesses on their own without the use of bans. This way, businesses can adapt to bans on plastic themselves. “People don’t like being told what to do” Salinas commented, when asked about the uproar as a result of these bans. The idea behind the ban is plastic lobbyists have poured money into the industry in order to get bans passed. While bans on single use plastics may result in unemployment in plastic industries, it is her perspective that it will create new jobs in different industries. Salinas delved further into this topic “Bans in purple states stir contention, not helpful at all. Individuals need to want to change”. This pressure of making businesses change encourages consumers to change as well, in her eyes causing a domino effect that makes overall mindsets more effective. While she believes the majority of change should be seen in businesses, she believes the government has a part to play as well; “Better to incentivize than punish. Nobody wants to be forced to do anything. There is a government role in incentivizing”. We attempted to reach out to a wider variety of individuals with a wider variety of opinions, but were met with no response.
Alternatives to Waste Bans
The solution for waste is to use the alternative items mentioned in this article. There exists one website named “Earth Hero” This site offers a person a wide selection of biodegradable objects from bags to straws and more!. Adding this website the goal is to show others that many alternatives do exist with many companies willing to share these earth saving items with you. With this in mind, if you are unable to make purchases from this website many other choices do exist. You can always change from using plastic items to reusable cloth based bags which can be used for a much longer time and are less likely to rip unlike plastic bags. Paper bags are often found within stores and are often at the checkout. However while these paper bags are biodegradable, they take far too many resources to produce which result in more resources being pulled from the earth.
Works Cited
Bailey, Caroline. “Eco Friendly Plastic Bag Alternatives for Sustainable Retail Businesses.” Green Business Bureau, 27 Oct. 2022, greenbusinessbureau.com/industries/retail/sustainability-guide-for-retail-plastic-bag-alternatives/.
“Battle over Plastic Bags: Why They Won’t Be Banned in Wisconsin.” FOX 6 Now Milwaukee, 8 May 2017, www.fox6now.com/news/battle-over-plastic-bags-why-they-wont-be-banned-in-wisconsin.
“EarthHero.” EarthHero, 2019, earthhero.com/.
Parker, Laura. “The World’s Plastic Pollution Crisis Explained.” National Geographic, 7 June 2019, www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/plastic-pollution.
Staff, Aza. “How Do Straws Hurt the Environment?” Www.aza.org, 15 Nov. 2019, www.aza.org/connect-stories/stories/how-do-straws-hurt-the-environment?locale=en.
“State Plastic Bag Legislation.” Www.ncsl.org, www.ncsl.org/environment-and-natural-resources/state-plastic-bag-legislation.
“The Plastic-Production Problem.” Www.biologicaldiversity.org, www.biologicaldiversity.org/campaigns/plastic-production/index.html.
“This Town Was Drowning in Plastic. Now It’s a Model of Sustainability.” Global Citizen, www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/guatemala-town-plastic-ban-effects/.
“Wisconsin Legislature: 2015 Wisconsin Act 302.” Docs.legis.wisconsin.gov, docs.legis.wisconsin.gov/2015/related/acts/302.