When the Planet Wins, We Win

According to the Environmental Protection Agency, we use over 380 billion plastic bags each year, which requires 12 million barrels of oil to create (Anderson, 2016). Each of those bags, my fellow advocate, is considered a nonrenewable resource upon production, and will more than likely end up discarded in the environment either as litter or as microplastics in the soil or ocean. Action against the use of these bags has been taken in the last decade in the form of plastic bag bans in states like California, and in some stores charging for each individual bag. Many have resorted to bringing reusable bags with them to the store to symbolize their consideration for the planet’s well being. 2020, however, saw a resurgence of the use of single-use plastics as the coronavirus pandemic overwhelmed nations worldwide. Many have argued that reusable bags and plastics need to be sidelined in an effort to implement more sanitary habits while we attempt to reduce the virus’s spread. In regards to reusable bags, however, “neither the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) nor the World Health Organization has issued guidance advising against the use of reusable bags” (Harris & Cassel, 2020). Another concern of banning plastic bags lies in the impact the movement will have on the economy. Some are concerned about spending extra money on reusable bags or having to pay for plastic bags at the grocery store. According to research by the Sierra Club, the U.S. International Trade Commission indicated that, “the 100 billion plastic shopping bags in use each year in the U.S. are made from the estimated equivalent of 439 million gallons of oil, and they cost retailers an estimated $4 billion” (Jenner, 2017).

Our mission is clear, advocate. We are taking steady and sustainable action to ensure that our future generations can enjoy a safe life that is enriched by the cohabitation of Earth’s creatures, as we have experienced in our lifetime. We want to live and act ethically, and we want our change to be systemic and fundamental so that it is consistent. Plastic-use has inevitably and irrevocably impacted the planet and its well-being in the last hundred years of its use, and it is time that we turn to alternatives in order to halt and begin to reverse the damage inflicted. In the fourth habit discussed in his book, 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey talks about approaching actions with a “win/win” mentality. Win/win, he explains, “means that all agreements or solutions are mutually beneficial, mutually satisfying (Covey, 2020). By considering the outcome that would be a win to those we are trying to elicit action from, we can encourage their participation so that we, in turn, also win.

I realize that talking about a plastic bag alternative can be extremely frustrating, and even overwhelming, fellow advocate. Plastic bags are convenient, unimaginably cheap to make, and have become such a fundamentally integrated tool in our conventional livelihood. How can we be expected to empower such a continental change? For some, purchasing reusable bags to take into the grocery store isn’t a viable option. These bags can add up in price, advocate, and be difficult to remember to bring into the store if you’re already overwhelmed in other areas of your life, as most of us are in these times. If bringing in a bag of your own isn’t an option, consider requesting paper bags at the check-out, which can be recycled. If your store doesn’t offer paper bags, you have no personal bags and there are too many purchases to carry without a bag, consider finding a recycling collective near you using the link I have provided, below (and here, for your convenience, of course).

This week’s call to action is offered in two tiers based on your abilities and dedication to empowering change. I ask you, advocate, to contact your local legislation and demand a community-wide (or even state-wide, if you’re feeling so empowered) ban on plastic bags in the stores near you. If this type of action is too intimidating for you: have no fear. Please consider, instead, signing a petition for your area, or reducing the use of plastic bags in your home by purchasing a reusable linen bag like these: