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Plastic bag reduction Page I of I <br /> Do <br /> P/6 N04 <br /> Murashige, Laura �t�U1, �7 C�� -�-(8� <br /> From: Gillian Culff [gculff@parkerschool.net] <br /> Sent: Monday, January 31, 2011 11:08 AM <br /> To: counciltestimony@co.hawaii.hi.us <br /> Subject: Plastic bag reduction <br /> Dear County Council Members, <br /> I am deeply concerned about the proliferation of plastics. Plastics contain toxic chemical components <br /> that endanger our health by leaching into our foods (e.g. plastic liners in aluminum cans and take-out <br /> cups) or coming into direct contact with the most vulnerable members of our population (plastic baby <br /> toys still being manufactured). Ultimately, much of the plastic we use in our daily lives and then toss <br /> away winds up in the oceans, endangering marine animals, including already threatened and endangered <br /> species. For example, Pacific albatrosses that live in a protected habitat feed off of plastic debris fished <br /> out of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch and then feed this detritus—plastic bottle caps, bits of plastic <br /> grocery bags, etc-- to their young, unwittingly killing off their own offspring. <br /> As an island state, Hawaii is especially susceptible to the ills of plastics, which find their way onto our <br /> beaches via picnickers and into our streams. Ultimately, much of this toxic trash finds its way from the <br /> beaches and streams into the ocean, strangling turtles and filling the bellies of marine birds, mammals <br /> and other animals. Given our limited landfill space, we should be asking ourselves if we can really <br /> afford to keep using and disposing of so much plastic trash. <br /> The residents of Hawaii County have both the ability and the responsibility to help stem the tide of all <br /> this trash through the reduction of plastic bags. Some of the natural food stores on the island—such as <br /> Island Naturals in Kainaliu-- have already eliminated bags; customers are required to bring their own <br /> bags or re-use boxes the store receives as packaging for grocery goods. All of the island's major <br /> supermarkets offer credits for re-used bags and canvas totes. Making this sort of change is not so <br /> difficult. In Ireland, when a tax was imposed on plastic bags provided by stores, the nation saw an <br /> immediate and notable decrease (about 80%) in the use of disposable plastic bags. To avoid the tax, <br /> people brought their own bags—a successful initiative by any measure. <br /> As a resident who cares about our aina and our oceans, I ask you to support the reduction of plastic bag <br /> use in any and every way possible. Whether we impose a tax on plastic bags, offer an incentive to stores <br /> for not supplying them or ban them outright, I am in favor of making progress toward the elimination of <br /> this waste from our environment. I hope you are too. <br /> Sincerely, <br /> Gillian Culff <br /> PO Box 444 <br /> (66-1668 Wai'aka Place) <br /> Kamuela, HI 96743 <br /> Comm. No. <br /> Ref. To: 2 <br /> Ref. Date FEE( I nit <br /> 1/31/2011 <br />