Ocean Garbage Dump by Ashley Rogers

                                                               Ocean Garbage Dump                                                                                                                                                                                                                        New York State took a commendable step to join California in helping the environment. The legislature of New York imposed a ban on single use plastic bags, in addition to charging a small fee for paper bags. This measure, which takes effect in March 2020, encourages consumers to use inexpensive reusable shopping bags which will significantly cut the amount of plastics that end up polluting our oceans and waterways, piling up in the landfills, and harming our wildlife. It is astonishing to learn that according to the Center for Biological Diversity, "Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, which require 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture," (10 Facts). This means that plastics are doubly detrimental to our planet, since the use of fossil fuels in the manufacture of plastic leads to air pollution and ultimately contributes to global warming.                                 

     Equally upsetting, plastic bags pose both an entanglement and choking hazard for animals who unfortunately ingest this toxin. It is estimated that, "one hundred thousand marine animals are killed by plastic bags annually," (10 Facts). As an advocate for the environment, using reusable bags seems like only a small inconvenience which will bring substantial benefits. The United States, as one of the most developed countries in the world, needs to take the initiative in the fight to protect our earth, by developing materials that are biodegradable and enacting regulations that prevent the depletion of natural resources. Other states, like our own New Jersey, need to follow the example set by New York and California. The lives of birds, fish and sea turtles depend on it!                                                                                                                                                                                                 https://www.youtube.com/watch?                                                                                                  v=HQTUWK7CM-Y

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        http://awesomeocean.com/top-stories/fate                                                                                    thrown-away-plastic-shopping-bags/                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           For more information, visit...                                                                                              https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/plastic_bag_facts.html. (10 Facts About Single-use Plastic Bags)