| Our family owns and operates a company which | | | | The Boston city council wants to ban the use of |
| produces and sells canvas bags for grocery shopping. | | | | plastic shopping bags in supermarkets, pharmacies |
| It is a well known fact that plastic has and will | | | | and convenience stores in the city. Senator Brian A. |
| continue to have severe consequences when to | | | | Joyce is drawing up plans to file a bill proposing a |
| comes to our environment. | | | | statewide law that would charge store customers a |
| It takes 1-20 year old tree to make 700 paper bags. | | | | fee if they elect plastic over other kinds of bags. If |
| Plastic bags are made from a non-renewable natural | | | | the bill passed, they would start at 2 cents per bag in |
| resource-petroleum so they don't biodegrade. Plastic | | | | 2008 and gradually increase to 15 cents per bag in |
| photodegrades which is the process of breaking the | | | | the seventh year. The revenue would go toward the |
| plastic down into smaller and smaller toxic bits | | | | state's recycling programs and toward improving |
| contaminating soil and waterways. Each year, an | | | | consumer awareness of environmental problems |
| estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are | | | | caused by plastic bags. |
| consumed worldwide. Billions of these bags end up as | | | | Ireland has decreased plastic bag consumption by |
| litter each year. The average family accumulates 60 | | | | placing a consumer tax on plastic bags. Perhaps the |
| plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store. | | | | most strict plastic bag regulations are found in the |
| San Francisco's city council passed an ordinance | | | | Indian providence of Himachal Pradesh, where people |
| banning the use of plastic bags in March-2007. The | | | | caught with plastic bags are fined $2,000. |
| city, which has a population of approximately | | | | If we all do our part in the fight for a better |
| 752,000, estimates that it generates 1,400 tons of | | | | environment we can make a difference-every little |
| plastic bag waste each year. | | | | bit has great impact in the long run! |