The Environment issue

Plastic bags are ubiquitous reminders of the human presence . A great majority of stores use plastic bags for packaging everything you buy even if it is just a small item such as a pen . Plastic bags are a worldwide problem . Plastic bags can be found on streets , in sewers stuck in trees , floating on rivers , and even in the bellies of sea-turtles . There are several problems associated with bag use One is that some of the biggest are that they can cause massive drainage blockages that can result in floods . Another big problem

is that wildlife can ingest plastic bags and choke to death or die from intestinal blockage . Plastic bags also release toxins into their environment as they break down

A dilemma concerning the issue is whether to use or plastic bags This is a dilemma because has its own drawbacks as well bags require much more energy to produce , and create much more waste and pollution . But although plastic bags that degrade in months (instead of decades or even centuries ) have been invented , the dilemma remains because quickly degrading plastic releases toxins and greenhouse gases

Although plastic bags are a problem , their usefulness is undeniable They should not be entirely eradicated , but should be used more efficiently . A feasible solution would probably be something like Ireland 's . The government of Ireland imposed taxes upon plastic bags which reduced their plastic bag consumption by about 90 percent

Implementing such a solution does not necessarily mean that bags should be used instead , but that plastic bags will be reused , or that another longer lasting alternative , such as cloth bags , will be used . It is unlikely , perhaps impossible , that plastic bag use will be eliminated , but with right attitude towards the environment , the problem can be minimized

Bibliography

Lowy , J (2004 , July 21 . Plastic left holding the bag as environmental plague . Scripps Howard News Service . Retrieved November 13 , 2006 , from HYPERLINK "http /seattlepi .nwsource .com / national /182949_bags21 .html http /seattlepi .nwsource .com / national /182949_bags21 .html

Plastic bag (2006 , November 11 . Wikipedia , The Free Encyclopedia Retrieved November 13 , 2006 , from HYPERLINK "http /en .wikipedia .org /w /index .php ?title Plastic_bag oldid http /en .wikipedia .org /w /index .php ?title Plastic_bag oldid

Roach , J (2003 , September 2 . Are plastic grocery bags sacking the environment ? National Geographic News . Retrieved November 13 , 2006 , from HYPERLINK "http /news .nationalgeographic com /news /2003 /09 /0902_030902_plasticbags .html http /news .nationalgeographic com /news /2003 /09 /0902_030902_plasticbags .html

Why are plastic bags a problem (2006 . Planet Ark . Retrieved November 13 , 2006 , from HYPERLINK "http /www .planetark .com /campaignspage .cfm /newsid /52 /newsDate /7 /story .h tm http /www .planetark .com /campaignspage .cfm /newsid /52 /newsDate /7 /story .ht m...