Photo: 350.org
Some governments and businesses realize we won’t stop using plastic unless it’s prohibited.
We’ve been keeping tabs on plastic bans around the world, and have come across two encouraging stories from different ends of the world this week.
First came the news that Mexico City has banned plastic bags. Our friends over at Wend Magazine reported that Mexico’s capital city has “banned businesses from distributing plastic bags that are not biodegradable. The ban affects all stores, production facilities and service providers.”
The policy is especially significant considering that Mexico City is one of the world’s most population dense metropolises. The plastic bag ban will prevent massive amounts of unnecessary waste from ending up in the country’s shrinking landfills.
On the other side of the world, the Herald Sun of Australia is reporting that a Melbourne primary school has banned students from bringing plastic water bottles to class. Instead, students are being told to bring reusable, environmentally friendly bottles from home, which can be refilled at fountains and taps in the school.
School principal David Foley indicated that the ban was part of a school-wide effort to improve its environmental consciousness and to decrease students’ collective carbon footprint.
What are policy trends related to plastic use where you live? Share the news from your area in the comments below!
Community Connection:
Why are plastic bottle bans important? Check out Eva Holland’s article “Bottled Water: Making a Big (Bad) Impact” for the answers.
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8 Comments... join the discussion!
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thank god!
Plastic will be our legacy…i watched a special…babies born in the USA are born with BPA in their blood stream…it is a part of our make up!In developing world countries my heart sank to see wastelands of tumbling plastic bags…sadness
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until there is another way to drink great mineral water I will keep drinking from bottles.
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Josh, that’s insanely creepy.
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I documented the world’s most offensive landfills here. Very disturbing.
Josh, I was actually wondering about that, if our blood could be checked for chemicals from plastic. As part of the research on the pacific trash gyre I learned how small the plastic breaks down in the ocean (but never goes away) by UV and is then consumed by tiny ocean animals, which are then eaten by their predators, and on and up the food chain. Right to us.
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Rwanda has banned plastic bags – it works great. I live just across the border in DR Congo and the difference is remarkable – the city is peppered with wasted plastic bags, and my eyes tear when people burn them in the streets.
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I noticed the difference in Rwanda as well, having crossed the border from Uganda. We were informed that we could not bring plastic water bottles across with us either. Let’s see this trend explode!
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Get on with it already… I heard that god forsaken hell hole WalMart was supposed to have done this already… Its sad people can’t just do their part because its whats right, they have to have laws and bullshit red-tape for everything…Hey lawman while your at it lets ban styrofoam………
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