July 7, 2019

Week 1:  June 30, 2019

One local effect that was displayed in the video was the significant amount of plastic waste on the seashore and the impact that plastic had on marine and terrestrial wildlife in the area. One interesting thing that the video brought up was the fact that turtles and other wildlife are attracted to the plastic because of their aesthetics and how they resemble food to these species. Like many places recently, people are starting to realize the issue at hand and how in the long run, this could wipe out entire species, including us humans. One example of this would be the sacred cattle in India, they roam the landfills and pick at scraps while inevitably eating plastic bags. The video showed one example of a cow that had surgery done that ultimately saved its life. After, 50 kilos of plastic were pulled out of the animal, it survived. This is just one example of this kind of issue within just one species. The video talks about the punishments that follow possessing plastic bags in Indian markets, investigating illegal thin plastic bags is a job of the countries anti-bag police force. This is an example of an attempt to diminish the use of plastic bags on our planet. Personally, fines following possession of certain plastics is very beneficial for the health of our planet and species that we find eating the waste.

            I think that we should not only ban the plastic bag but obtain punishments for possessing them.  I think it is the most effective way to diminish the waste.  There is no reason we need the bags.  This is definitely something that can start at national scales, however we see it being done at local scales first. However, the problem in whole is prominent issue at a global scale, and a problem that needs to be dealt with in a very time sensitive manner. Plastic bags are incredibly misunderstood. Even though they can be recycled, it is evident that they can only be recycled to make new plastic bags which in the long run is only going to end up as garbage at some point. This is most definitely a problem to be solved.  I used to live in a small town in Maine and recently one of my former classmates was able to convince the town board to ban plastic bags which snowballed and influenced the state in whole to ban Styrofoam as well.  It is true that things done at a local scale can do a lot in the long run and make a positive impact at  a national scale and even globally.

Above is an example of cattle in India eating scraps from a plastic filled pile in a dump.  Ultimately, foreshadowing what could happen in a plethora of places in the future. There are many groups the deal directly with diminishing the use of plastic bags and clean up our oceans including the Sierra Club.  I highly recommend everyone to donate to organizations like this one, because it is on us to fix the problem that us humans created.