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“YOU’VE COME A LONG WAY BABY!”
Remember that refrain? It has made many of us feel good about our accomplishments. Well, we can all remember it for another very important reason. Thirty years ago, 1993, The League of Women Voters warned citizens about the growing danger of plastic in the environment. Unfortunately, their dire prediction has come true. The quantity of plastics has only grown worse in the past 30 years. We know it is everywhere – including our water, our food and even our bodies.
BUT – thanks to new laws and actions at the local, state and federal level, we are beginning to better manage and reduce this pervasive substance.
We’ve done this through:
- THE ADOPTION OF RECYCLING PROGRAMS - Multiple tons of plastic are now being recycled rather than landing in landfills around the country.
- STYROFOAM PRODUCTS - The plastic bag ban legislation also prohibits restaurants and other food service businesses to hand food out in Styrofoam containers and stores aren’t able to sell Styrofoam products.
- BAN ON SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS - In May, 2022, New Jersey banned the use of single-use plastic bags. It has kept millions of plastic bags out of our environment.
Where do we go from here?
One easy way to get rid of more plastic is to adopt the use of BIODEGRADABLE BAGS for all the uses that we now use regular plastic bags:
- In the kitchen
- In the garage
- In the bathroom and bedroom
- For the dog
In other words, any place where bags are used. The only “lift” for residents is that compostable bags now usually have to be ordered. Supermarkets do carry some sizes and brands, but other retailers claim they have no market for biodegradable bags.
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