A huge step in the right direction of environmental conservation was taken this October when California became the first state to ban single-use plastic bags in grocery and convenience stores. These plastic bag bans have been enacted within cities across the United States, but this nationwide ban is a milestone for environmental activists. The law allows cashiers to charge a minimum of 10 cents per paper bag; the ultimate goal being to encourage shoppers to bring reusable bags in order to decrease the environmental impact these plastic bags create on the streets and in waterways.
Specifically on the coast of California, human waste creates a major problem referred to as “The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.” The “garbage patch” refers to the area in the Pacific Ocean where a monumental amount of waste circulates. This area is estimated to be approximately the size of Texas or bigger and is by no means getting smaller. Due to the movement of the currents in this area, a gyre is created where the water is continuously circulated in a circle, making the garbage unable to escape. The garbage “dissolves” in the water, but since it cannot dissolve all the way, it creates what is known as “sludge” and become trapped in these currents. As seen in the figure below, these waste products do not dissolves fully and therefore the problem continues.
Plastic bag manufacturers have fought back against this policy, as expected, making the argument that it jeopardizes manufacturing jobs in the state of California. In order to compensate for this, the bill includes $2 million in loans for the plastic bag manufacturing companies to invest in creating and selling reusable bags. The positive impacts a law like this can potentially have on the environment is vital at this point in time where our environment, especially our ocean, is being destroyed. Therefore, the impacts that this law has on humans, though it may be negative in the short term in regards to jobs, will have an overall beneficial resolution. Despite the retaliation from the plastic bag manufacturing companies, Governor Jerry Brown remains confident in his decision and is assertive in saying that this is only the beginning. He believes that other states will begin to follow this trend and more environmentally friendly laws will begin to be passed.