What will happen if no action is taken

• Plastics will continue to contribute to landfill as they take so long to break down. 
• The production of plastic requires the use of fossil fuels which is very harmful and this will only continue to contribute to climate change and global warming. 
• Plastics will continue to be a major source of pollution; filling our waterways and streets with rubbish that may become hard to control. 

Basically, the use of plastic has to be reduced but preferably almost cut out completely because if it doesn't it will of course become more of an environmental problem than it is now. With the information we have put together,we hope that we have encouraged pro-environmental behaviour when it comes to plastic use. Remember that even the seemingly smallest of actions can have a big impact in the long run.


 Another website:
 http://www.degradablepolymers.com/faqs.html

Article: "US cities increasingly ban or tax plastic shopping bags"

October 5th 2010 USAToday.com

By Justin Sullivan, Getty Images

 

A pedestrian carries a plastic grocery bag as he walks down Stockton street June 2, 2010 in San Francisco, California. Unlike California, where lawmakers Tuesday rejected a ban on plastic grocery bags, the U.S. territory of American Samoa will make it illegal for stores to offer such bags beginning in Feb. 2011.

More U.S. cities and territories are combating litter by banning or taxing plastic shopping bags, despite the recent defeat of a statewide ban in California.

Bans take effect in January in Brownsville, Texas, and Hawaii's Kauai and Maui counties. In February, American Samoa's ban goes into effect.

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Article: "American Samoa bans plastic bags"

Pacific Sunday News,  October 3, 2010

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has lauded the American Samoa government for banning plastic shopping bags

"This action will decrease the amount of plastic waste in the territory and directly protect marine and bird life in the Pacific,"said Jared Blumenfeld, the EPA's Regional Administrator for the Pacific Southwest

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Article: "Saving the world one plastic bag at a time"

Saving the world one plastic bag at a time

By Caroline J. Howard, ANC

Posted at 10/02/2010 8:41 PM | Updated as of 10/03/2010 3:18 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Imagine a life without plastic bags. In an ideal world, we could all be so lucky. But in a fast-paced, modern-day world dependent on instant solutions and quick fixes, there's no quick way to do away with these items.

But the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is taking a step in that direction by urging supermarkets to declare a plastic-bag-free day at least once a week--on Wednesdays

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Relevant Article:  'No plastic bag day' starts in November

Posted at 09/30/2010 12:05 AM | Updated as of 09/30/2010 12:06 AM

MANILA, Philippines - Plastic bags in supermarkets will no longer be free on certain days starting November.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said the campaign is part of efforts to limit the use of plastics as these cause drainage systems to be clogged.

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Plastic Bags

Article: Greenpeace statement on plastic bags

March 12, 2008 Sydney, Australia — Greenpeace's position on plastic bags and the environment:

Greenpeace supports campaigns for zero waste around the world, and campaigns strongly against plastic waste in many of our offices around the world. Plastic bags are an integral part of the plastic waste issue, and are part of the greater plastic pollution problem worldwide.

Read the full article

Plastic bag facts

• Australians used 3.9 billion plastic shopping bags in 2007
• Nearly half a million plastic bags are collected on Clean Up Australia Day each year. (source - CUA)
• It takes only four grocery shopping trips for an average Australian family to accumulate 60 plastic shopping bags. (source - CUA)
• Plastic bags are produced from polymers derived from petroleum. The amount of petroleum used to make a plastic bag would drive a car about 11 metres. (source - CUA)
• In 2005, Australians used 192 HDPE bags per capita. (source - Nolan ITU)
• 14% of HDPE plastic carry bags are returned to major supermarkets for recycling. (source - ANRA)

Learn more at: More Plastic Facts or at Plastic bags

Relevant article: 'Eco bags' aim to save earth in style

abs-cbnNEWS.com Posted at 08/23/2010 4:55 PM | Updated as of 08/23/2010 5:01 PM

MANILA, Philippines - Mall giant SM recently launched a line of brightly colored reusable totes as part of its efforts to encourage the youth to save the environment.

Aptly called "eco bags," the totes are made of polypropylene, a non-woven material that is recyclable, non-toxic and non-reactive to human skin. Originally intended as grocery bags, SM said these can also be used for school and . . . .