| Environment |  |
Plastic Bag Bans Have Eliminated Enough Single-Use Bags to Circle Earth 42 Times |
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| smartboy10/ iStock | |
| If you’re someone who never forgets to bring a reusable tote to the grocery store, a new report is offering some proof to back up the positive impact of your actions. Research found that single-use plastic bag bans across five states have cut consumption by roughly 6 billion bags per year — enough to circle the Earth 42 times.
“The bottom line is that plastic bag bans work,” said Faye Park, president of the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, which co-published the report with two other nonprofits. “People realize quickly it’s easy to live without plastic bags and get used to bringing a bag from home or skipping a bag when they can.” Researchers looked at bans nationwide but homed in on five specific policies in New Jersey, Vermont, Pennsylvania, Oregon, and California, evaluating data from municipal agencies, academics, and plastics and grocery industry groups to arrive at their estimates, per Grist. They determined that similar policies could be expected to eliminate nearly 300 bags per person, per year. Curious about the potential difference a ban could make in your area? Click the link below to enter your town or city in the Single-Use Plastic Bag Ban Waste Reduction Calculator. |
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