#1 Plastic bags pollute our land and water. Because they are so lightweight, plastic bags can travel long distances by wind and water. They litter our landscapes, get caught in fences and trees, float around in waterways, and can eventually make their way into the world’s oceans.
#2 Plastic bags are made from non-renewable resources and contribute to climate change
The majority of plastic bags are made of polypropylene, a material that is made from petroleum and natural gas.
Both of these materials are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they create greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change.
The production of these bags is also very energy intensive. To produce nine plastic bags, it takes the equivalent energy to drive a car one kilometer (more than 0.5 miles).
Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes [
#3 Plastic bags never break down
Petroleum-based plastic bags do not truly degrade. What does occur is that when out in the environment, the plastic breaks up into tiny little pieces that end up in the ocean to be consumed by wildlife.
Today, there are an estimated 46,000-1,000,000 plastic fragments floating within every square mile of our world’s oceans
#4 Plastic bags are harmful to wildlife and marine life
Plastic bags and their associated plastic pieces are often mistaken for food by animals, birds, and marine life like fish and sea turtles.
The consumed plastic then congests the digestive tracts of these animals, and can lead to health issues such as infections and even death by suffocation.
Animals can also easily become entangled in this plastic.
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#1 Plastic bags pollute our land and water. Because they are so lightweight, plastic bags can travel long distances by wind and water. They litter our landscapes, get caught in fences and trees, float around in waterways, and can eventually make their way into the world’s oceans.
#2 Plastic bags are made from non-renewable resources and contribute to climate change
The majority of plastic bags are made of polypropylene, a material that is made from petroleum and natural gas.
Both of these materials are non-renewable fossil fuel-based resources and through their extraction and production, they create greenhouse gases, which contribute to global climate change.
The production of these bags is also very energy intensive. To produce nine plastic bags, it takes the equivalent energy to drive a car one kilometer (more than 0.5 miles).
Using these non-renewable resources to make plastic bags is very short-sighted, considering that the typical useful life of each plastic bag is about 12 minutes [
#3 Plastic bags never break down
Petroleum-based plastic bags do not truly degrade. What does occur is that when out in the environment, the plastic breaks up into tiny little pieces that end up in the ocean to be consumed by wildlife.
Today, there are an estimated 46,000-1,000,000 plastic fragments floating within every square mile of our world’s oceans
#4 Plastic bags are harmful to wildlife and marine life
Plastic bags and their associated plastic pieces are often mistaken for food by animals, birds, and marine life like fish and sea turtles.
The consumed plastic then congests the digestive tracts of these animals, and can lead to health issues such as infections and even death by suffocation.
Animals can also easily become entangled in this plastic.
Share this post: