HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0064.217 2010-2012 Page 1 of 1
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Murashige, Laura
From: Donna R. Goodale [donna @goodale.org]
Sent: Monday, December 19, 2011 6:38 PM
To: counciltestimony @co.hawaii.hi.us
Cc: 'Hirt, Dave'; 'Elizabeth Sharma'
Subject: Bill#17 testimony
Attachments: DGoodaleBagTestimonyDEC2011.docx; JBicknellBagTestimony.docx; Payton
AuBagTestimony.docx; MayKyawPlastic bagTestimony.pdf
Dear County Council Clerk: please find testimony attached in favor of Bill #17—Plastic Bag Reduction.
Thank you
crnna Q. c9eedale
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Ref. Date DEC 2 1. 2011
12/20/2011
Testimony for Bill #17 (Plastic Bag Reduction) December 12, 2011
Donna R. Goodale
73-5403 Kohanaiki Rd.
Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
808-325-1472
donnaggoodale.org
Hualalai Academy Science and Math Teacher
West Hawaii Fisheries Council
I support the bill to reduce the use of plastic bags distributed to customers at checkout.
I am a teacher at Hualalai Academy. Some of the students I are submitting testimony in
favor of this bill based on the following points about Plastic Checkout Bags:
1. Plastic bags are made from oil. The average car can drive 1 mile on the
oil it takes to make 14 plastic bags. For the number of bags used each day, we
could drive our cars 71,428,571 miles more each day.
2. A reduction in use of plastic bags and thus oil, would reduce our need
for more oil, and thus reduce the need to drill in sensitive ecosystems such as the
deep water in the Gulf of Mexico.
3. It costs $4,000 to recycle 1 ton of plastic bags. The resulting product is
then worth only $32 making recycling of plastic check-out bags uneconomical.
4. It only costs $0.01-$0.04 to make a plastic bag but it cost $0.17 a bag in
cumulative costs to clean up the mess they make, etc.
5. Plastic makes up 90% of the trash in the ocean and plastic bags are the
most common plastic item in the ocean
6. Over 100,000 marine animals die each year due to ingestion of, or
entanglement in plastic bags. Land animals such as cows and their calves also
ingest plastic bags and die.
6. Plastic bags take from 400 to 1000 years to decompose.
7. Re-usable bags are inexpensive and it is easy to change our habits to use
a re-usable bag. Life goes on in places such as San Francisco where check-out
bags have been banned. Maui and Kauai are adjusting to their new regulations.
8. In place of"check-out"bags, other types of discarded plastic bags can
be put to alternate uses instead of check-out bags. For example an old bread bag,
tortilla bag, or chip bag can be used to pick up dog feces.
9. Garbage bags made from recycled plastic are very inexpensive and can
be used to line trash cans. They are "recycled" already and they come in various
sizes making them superior to using a"check-out bag".
10. Nothing is "free". The cost of"free" check-out bags is incorporated
into the cost of retail items.
Please support Bill #17 to reduce the use of plastic bags distributed to customers at
checkout.
Sincerely,
Doausa geodate
County Council Testimony
Johnathon Bicknell
Age: 11
Hualalai Academy
12/6/11
Bill # 17 - draft 2: Plastic Bag Reduction Bill
Dear County Council: I would like you to pass Bill#17 for the following reasons:
1. Plastic Bags are bad and harmful to the environment.
2. People can use reusable bags but wont if plastic bags are available.
3. The ocean is the most important resource in Hawaii and we can not afford to have it
littered with plastic bags.
Thank you very much for passing Bill# 17
Johnathon Bicknell
Payton Au
Grade 6
Plastic Bag Ban Testimony
Bill # 17
Plastic bags have been in use for ages and rarely anyone paid attention to them until a few years
ago. With no significant reduction in the number of bags nor in increase in plastic bag
recycling, the city should target the largest retail distributors of plastic check-out bags in
an effort to reduce the amount used and their associated environmental impacts. To
make it easier for the public, we should partner in social marketing campaigns such as
"Bring Your Own Bag" (An organization committed to reducing the waste of plastic bags) and
distribute SFE-branded canvas bags made from scrap cloth instead of PLASTIC BAGS.
Or an alternative solution could be to distribute BPI certified compostable bags, which
are paper bags made with a minimum 40% post consumer recycled content. Without a
reduction in the distribution of plastic grocery bags, the environment could take a large
impact, also there are thousands of plastic bags being thrown out each day which just
adds to the downfall. Many state councilmen are talking of this subject and how they
can reduce the problem in their hometown, and that is something that anybody could do
with a group of people, whether your discussing it with your neighbors or you're a
councilmen talking to the governor, this is a very serious problem and should NOT be
ignored or opposed at all. Plastic bags are hurting the environment, and without good
decisions (Like reducing the distribution of them to stores) plastic bags will take their
toll, so don't be mean be green and use reusable or recycled bags to help your city,
state, or even the street you live on. Whatever you do will help the reduction of plastic
bag waste and will slowly but surely make a big impact in the world, so its up to you
make the good decision.
Why I think plastic bags are bad for the environment
By: May Kyaw
Hualalai Academy
I think plastic bags are bad for the environment because they pollute and, cause havoc
to nature and, animals. Most people don't think anything will happen when you forget
to throw away your plastic bags or, forget to recycle. They think it will just vanish or,
disappear. But they don't know how much havoc one little plastic bag can cause to
nature and, some animals in the ocean. In the ocean a little hungry turtle can just past
by and see something blurry that looks like a jellyfish since turtles eat jellyfish i guess
they would just come over and eat it. Without knowing the little turtle ate a small ripped
plastic bag and starts chocking and can't breathe, without knowing the turtle dies.
Something like this happens in nature and people regret it. That's why I think plastic
bags are bad for the environment.
The End