1.Data released by the United 1.Data released by the United States Environmental Protection States Environmental Protection Agency shows that somewhere Agency shows that somewhere

between 500 billion and a trillion between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed plastic bags are consumed

worldwide each year.worldwide each year.

National Geographic News September 2, 2003National Geographic News September 2, 2003

2.Less than 1% of bags are 2.Less than 1% of bags are recycled. It cost more to recycled. It cost more to

recycle a bag than to produce recycle a bag than to produce a new one.a new one.

- Christian Science Monitor News - Christian Science Monitor News PaperPaper

3.“There's harsh economics 3.“There's harsh economics behind bag recycling: It costs behind bag recycling: It costs $4,000 to process and recycle $4,000 to process and recycle

1 ton of plastic bags, which can 1 ton of plastic bags, which can then be sold on the then be sold on the

commodities market for $32”commodities market for $32”

- Jared Blumenfeld - Jared Blumenfeld (Director of San Francisco's Department of the Environment)(Director of San Francisco's Department of the Environment)

4.Then…4.Then…

Where Do They Go?Where Do They Go?

5.A study in 1975, showed oceangoing 5.A study in 1975, showed oceangoing vessels together dumped 8 million pounds vessels together dumped 8 million pounds of plastic annually. The real reason that the of plastic annually. The real reason that the

world's landfills weren't overflowing with world's landfills weren't overflowing with plastic was because most of it ended up in plastic was because most of it ended up in

an ocean-fillan ocean-fill

- U.S. National Academy of Sciences - U.S. National Academy of Sciences

6.Bags get blown 6.Bags get blown around…around…

7.…to different parts of our 7.…to different parts of our landslands

8.…and to our seas, lakes and 8.…and to our seas, lakes and rivers.rivers.

9.Bags find their way into 9.Bags find their way into the sea via drains and the sea via drains and

sewage pipes sewage pipes

- CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, - CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, 2007 2007

10.Plastic bags have been 10.Plastic bags have been found floating north of the found floating north of the

Arctic Circle near Spitzbergen, Arctic Circle near Spitzbergen, and as far south as the and as far south as the

Falkland IslandsFalkland Islands

- British Antarctic Survey - British Antarctic Survey

11.Plastic bags account for 11.Plastic bags account for over 10 percent of the debris over 10 percent of the debris

washed up on the U.S. washed up on the U.S. coastlinecoastline

- National Marine Debris Monitoring - National Marine Debris Monitoring Program Program

12.Plastic bags photo degrade:12.Plastic bags photo degrade:Over time they break down into Over time they break down into

smaller, more toxic petro-smaller, more toxic petro-polymerspolymers

- CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, - CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, 20072007

13.which eventually 13.which eventually contaminate soils and contaminate soils and

waterwayswaterways

- CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, - CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, 2007 2007

14.As a consequence 14.As a consequence microscopic particles can enter microscopic particles can enter

the food chainthe food chain

- CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, 2007

15.The effect on wildlife can be 15.The effect on wildlife can be catastrophiccatastrophic

- World Wildlife Fund Report 2005- World Wildlife Fund Report 2005

16.Birds become terminally entangled 16.Birds become terminally entangled

- World Wildlife Fund Report 2005- World Wildlife Fund Report 2005

17.Nearly 200 different species 17.Nearly 200 different species of sea life including whales, of sea life including whales,

dolphins, seals and turtles die dolphins, seals and turtles die due to plastic bagsdue to plastic bags

- World Wildlife Fund Report 2005- World Wildlife Fund Report 2005

18.They die after ingesting 18.They die after ingesting plastic bags which they plastic bags which they

mistake for foodmistake for food

- World Wildlife Fund Report 2005- World Wildlife Fund Report 2005

19.So…19.So…

What do we do?What do we do?

20.If we use a cloth bag, 20.If we use a cloth bag, we can save 6 bags a week we can save 6 bags a week

21.That's 24 bags a month21.That's 24 bags a month

22.That's 288 bags a year22.That's 288 bags a year

23.That's 22,176 bags 23.That's 22,176 bags in an average life timein an average life time

24.If just 24.If just 1 out of 51 out of 5 people in our country people in our country did this did this

we would save we would save

1,330,560,000,000 bags 1,330,560,000,000 bags over our life timeover our life time

25.Bangladesh has 25.Bangladesh has banned plastic bags banned plastic bags

- MSNBC.com March 8, 2007- MSNBC.com March 8, 2007

27.China has banned free plastic 27.China has banned free plastic bagsbags

- CNN.com/asia January 9, 2008- CNN.com/asia January 9, 2008

28.Ireland took the lead in 28.Ireland took the lead in Europe, taxing plastic bags Europe, taxing plastic bags

in 2002 and have now in 2002 and have now reduced plastic bag reduced plastic bag

consumption by 90% consumption by 90%

- BBC News August 20, 2002- BBC News August 20, 2002

29.In 2005 Rwanda banned 29.In 2005 Rwanda banned plastic bags plastic bags

- Associated Press- Associated Press

29.Israel, Canada, western India, 29.Israel, Canada, western India, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South

Africa, Taiwan, and Singapore  have Africa, Taiwan, and Singapore  have also banned or are moving toward also banned or are moving toward

banning the plastic bag banning the plastic bag

- PlanetSave.com February 16, 2008- PlanetSave.com February 16, 2008

30.On March 27th 2007, 30.On March 27th 2007, San Francisco becomes first San Francisco becomes first U.S. city to ban plastic bags U.S. city to ban plastic bags 

- NPR.org (National Public - NPR.org (National Public Radio)Radio)

31.Oakland and Boston are 31.Oakland and Boston are considering a ban considering a ban

- The Boston Globe May 20, 2007- The Boston Globe May 20, 2007

32.Plastic shopping bags are 32.Plastic shopping bags are made from polyethylene: made from polyethylene:

a thermoplastic made from oil a thermoplastic made from oil

- CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, - CNN.com/tecnhology November 16, 2007 2007

33.Reducing plastic bags will 33.Reducing plastic bags will decrease decrease

foreign oil dependency foreign oil dependency

34.China will save 37 million barrels 34.China will save 37 million barrels of oil each year due to their ban of of oil each year due to their ban of

free plastic bags free plastic bags

- CNN.com/asia January 9, 2008- CNN.com/asia January 9, 2008

35.It is 35.It is possiblepossible......