Single-Use Scam

WISCONSIN SHOULD PARTICIPATE IN A STATEWIDE BAN OF PLASTIC BAGS

By Amanda Liebmann, Contributing Writer Graphic by Kate Madigan

With a simple walk around the grocery store or your kitchen pantry the issue is clear: there is too much plastic. It’s nearly unfathomable to envision our world without plastic, but with the state of the Earth’s climate, it’s the direction in which we need to go.

The dire need to cut down on single-use plastic has caused some states to take action by implementing a ban on plastic bags in large retail stores. Singleuse plastic bags are one of the leading causes in harming our environment and contributing to our overburdened landfills.1 Because of their lightweight nature, plastic bags have overpopulated both our land and water.2 One million marine animals are killed by plastic every year, and if we don’t take action by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in our oceans.3

There are currently eight states participating in a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags including California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Maine, New York, Oregon and Vermont.4 Many of these states have also added a bag tax for shoppers that choose to buy plastic bags, a strategy used to stress the idea that whether or not plastic is reusable, it will still never fully break down. However, this added tax can be a significant cost for low-income families.5

Individual grocery stores have also been taking initiatives

1 “25+ Powerful Reasons Why Plastic Bags Should Be Banned Immediately,” Conserve Energy Future, July 3, 2020 2 Ibid 3 “Plastic Pollution Facts: PlasticOceans. org/the-Facts,” Plastic Oceans International, January 20, 2021 4 Jennifer Schultz, “State Plastic Bag Legislation,” State Plastic Bag Legislation, November 18, 2020 5 Shane Shirley and Shane Shirley, “Home,” Reusable Bags Wholesale - Factory Direct Promos, March 27, 2018, to replace plastics with other materials. For example, Trader Joe’s uses compostable produce bags and paper grocery bags.6 They even take their initiative a step further by giving raffle tickets for gift cards to customers who bring their own bags. Other grocers, including Whole Foods and Mom’s Organic Market, offer credits of a few cents for customers who bring bags.

A logical next step would be adding Wisconsin to the list of states that have banned plastic bags, or at the very least, Madison. In 2016, a bill was passed by the Wisconsin Legislature that banned municipalities from enacting plastic bag bans.7 While multiple media outlets spoke up about being against the bill and stating that banning single-use plastic was a good thing, the state government stood by the bill.

We can’t ignore the need to retire single-use plastic. Of course, this is a daunting task, as it may very well be one of the biggest societal upheavals we see unravel in the next few decades. Simple tasks like replacing your toothbrush with one made from bamboo, buying a hemp or flax phone case and getting glass containers instead of plastic tupperware can create major changes in our planet. Reinventing these necessary plastic products along with getting rid of singleuse plastic will be the most challenging, yet most rewarding task our world will face. ■

6 Allison Steele, “For Earth Day, Check out These Grocery Store Initiatives - and Customer Incentives - for Replacing Plastics,” The Philadelphia Inquirer, April 22, 2019 7 FOX 6 Now Milwaukee, “Battle over Plastic Bags: Why They Won’t Be Banned in Wisconsin,” FOX6 News Milwaukee, July 28, 2020