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Murashige, Laura 4
From: Donna R. Goodale [donna @goodale.org] " L r
Sent: Monday, February 14, 2011 6:57 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Subject: FW: Testimony for Bill # 17
From: Derek Larson [mailto: der. lar08O9 @gmaii.com]
Sent: Sunday, January 30, 2011 10:19 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: dgoodale @hualalai.org
Subject: Testimony for Bill # 17
Testimony for Bill #17
Derek Larson
Age 13 Grade 8
P.O Box 489
Honaunau, HI, 96726
der.lar0809_C&gmail,com
Plastic bags
Should we reduce the use of plastic bags? There are 1,000,000,OOOs if not
1,000,000,000,OOOs of plastic bags roaming freely around the world. Plastic bags are hardly
recycled or reused by people. The majority of them are just thrown away or wasted. This
problem is not just effecting the environment or animals but humans as well.
The world is being polluted by millions of plastic bags daily. It takes 1000 years for
plastic bags to biodegrade, but as they are degrading they turn into smaller more toxic
pieces. In the ocean there are 46,000 pieces per square mile. 1,000,000 marine animals are
killed yearly from just plastic bags. Plastic bags are the 2nd most common source of ocean
refuse, right before cigarette buds. Just think of how many cigarette buds there are in the
ocean.
Many people take plastic bags for granted. People throw them away just like it is trash.
Sure maybe they will reuse them once or twice but after that they get thrown away. Each US
resident uses at least 1,200 plastic bags a year. That means that 380,000,000 plastic bags are
made per year to supply them. How many of those are really reused?
There are several solutions that may help. There are many different types of more durable
and reusable bags such as, nylon, cloth, recycled material bags and many more. Not only
will these be reusable, they are very cheap to buy. Another solution is to get a law passed
where plastic bags will be reduced in stores. Stores are one of the main reasons why there
are so many plastic bags. Just think how many plastic bags people use when they go
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shopping.
So the question is, should we reduce the use plastic bags? I feel that we should reduce the
use of plastic bags. Plastic bags kill marine animals pollute the ocean and land. Sure maybe
they are very convenient and helpful at times, but so are cloth, nylon etc. bags. With about
$20 you could buy at least 5 -8 reusable cloth or nylon bags. These bags will last for years. Is
the such a small price to pay to save those million marine animals? This is just a small step,
but this small step will lead onto bigger changes. Lets make the change, maybe someday we
all will.
Many places all over the world have made the change by banning plastic bags. Maui and
Kauai have also made the change. I think its time for the Big Island to make the change too.
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2/15/2011