The sad story of the harmless disposable bags

that the baggers at the supermarket so freely “gift”

us

Information released by the Information released by the Environmental Protection Agency Environmental Protection Agency of the United States reveals that of the United States reveals that

every year approximately, every year approximately, between 500 billion and one between 500 billion and one

trillion plastic bags are consumed trillion plastic bags are consumed around the world.around the world.

((National Geographic 2nd of September, 2003)National Geographic 2nd of September, 2003)

Less than 1% of the bags are Less than 1% of the bags are recycled. It is more expensive recycled. It is more expensive to recycle a plastic bag than to to recycle a plastic bag than to

produce a new one. produce a new one.

- - Journal of the Christian Science MonitorJournal of the Christian Science Monitor

““There exists a rough economy There exists a rough economy behind the recycling of the behind the recycling of the plastic bagsplastic bags. To process and . To process and

recycle a ton of plastic bags costs recycle a ton of plastic bags costs $4,000: the same quantity is sold $4,000: the same quantity is sold

in the market from prime in the market from prime materials at $32. materials at $32.

- Jared Blumenfeld - Jared Blumenfeld (Director Of the Departament of the Environment in San Francisco)(Director Of the Departament of the Environment in San Francisco)

So then…So then…Where do the bags go?Where do the bags go?

A study in 1975 demonstrated that the transoceanic A study in 1975 demonstrated that the transoceanic embarkations threw as a group 8 million pounds of embarkations threw as a group 8 million pounds of

plastic into the sea each year. The reason for which plastic into the sea each year. The reason for which the landfills of the world were not inundated with the landfills of the world were not inundated with plastic was because the majority of it ended up in plastic was because the majority of it ended up in

the ocean.the ocean.

National Academy of Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of the U.S.A.U.S.A.

The bags are blown by The bags are blown by the wind…the wind…

……towards different places on our towards different places on our planetplanet

… … and towards our seas, lakes and and towards our seas, lakes and rivers.rivers.

The bags find their way to the sea The bags find their way to the sea in the drainages and the pipesin the drainages and the pipes

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

They have encountered plastic They have encountered plastic bags floating north of the Arctic bags floating north of the Arctic

Circle near Spitzbergen and even Circle near Spitzbergen and even further south, in the Falkland further south, in the Falkland

Islands.Islands.

- Encuesta Antártica Británica- Encuesta Antártica Británica

The plastic bags represent more The plastic bags represent more than 10% of the debris that arrives than 10% of the debris that arrives to the shores of the coasts of the to the shores of the coasts of the

United States.United States.

- Monitoring Program of the National - Monitoring Program of the National Coastal DebrisCoastal Debris

The plastic bags photodecompose: The plastic bags photodecompose: with the passing of time they with the passing of time they

decompose into smaller and more decompose into smaller and more toxic petro-polymerstoxic petro-polymers

- CNN.com/tecnhology 16 de - CNN.com/tecnhology 16 de noviembre , 2007noviembre , 2007

that in the end contaminate that in the end contaminate the ground and waterways the ground and waterways

- CNN.com/tecnhology 16 de - CNN.com/tecnhology 16 de noviembre, 2007 noviembre, 2007

As a consequence, microscopic particle As a consequence, microscopic particle can begin to form a part of the food can begin to form a part of the food

chainchain

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

The effect on wild life could be catastrophicThe effect on wild life could be catastrophic

- WWF Report 2005- WWF Report 2005

Birds are trapped without hopeBirds are trapped without hope

- WWF Report 2005- WWF Report 2005

Close to 200 different species of Close to 200 different species of marine life, including whales, dolphins, marine life, including whales, dolphins,

seals and turtles die due to plastic seals and turtles die due to plastic bagsbags

- WWF Report 2005- WWF Report 2005

They die after ingesting the plastic They die after ingesting the plastic bags that they confuse with foodbags that they confuse with food

- WWF Report 2005- WWF Report 2005

So then…So then…What can we do?What can we do?

If we use cloth bags, we can save If we use cloth bags, we can save 6 bags per week6 bags per week

That is to say, 24 bags per That is to say, 24 bags per monthmonth

Or, 288 bags per yearOr, 288 bags per year

Or, 22,176 bags during half a Or, 22,176 bags during half a lifetimelifetime

If only If only 1 out of every 51 out of every 5 people on our people on our planet did this, we would save planet did this, we would save

1.330.560.000.000 bags 1.330.560.000.000 bags during our livesduring our lives

Bangladesh prohibited the Bangladesh prohibited the plastic bags plastic bags

- MSNBC.com 8 de marzo, 2007- MSNBC.com 8 de marzo, 2007

China prohibited free plastic China prohibited free plastic bagsbags

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

Ireland was the first in Europe to Ireland was the first in Europe to put taxes on plastic bags in 2002. put taxes on plastic bags in 2002.

In this way, they have reduced In this way, they have reduced consumption by 90%.consumption by 90%.

-BBC News 20BBC News 20thth of August, 2002 of August, 2002

In 2005, Rwanda In 2005, Rwanda prohibited plastic bags prohibited plastic bags

- Associated Press- Associated Press

Israel, Canada, Western India, Israel, Canada, Western India, Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Botswana, Kenya, Tanzania, South Africa, Taiwan and Singapore also Africa, Taiwan and Singapore also

have prohibited or are in the process have prohibited or are in the process of prohibiting plastic bagsof prohibiting plastic bags

- PlanetSave.com 16- PlanetSave.com 16thth of February, of February, 20082008

On the 27On the 27thth of March of 2007, of March of 2007, San Francisco turned into the San Francisco turned into the

first city in the U.S.A. to first city in the U.S.A. to prohibit plastic bagsprohibit plastic bags

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

Oakland and Boston are Oakland and Boston are considering the prohibitionconsidering the prohibition

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

The plastic bags are made of The plastic bags are made of polyethylene: a thermo-plastic that polyethylene: a thermo-plastic that

is obtained from petroleumis obtained from petroleum

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

Reducing the use of plastic bags will Reducing the use of plastic bags will diminish the consumption of petroleum, diminish the consumption of petroleum,

non-renewable resources and all the non-renewable resources and all the hassles it creates...hassles it creates...

China will save 37 million barrels of China will save 37 million barrels of petroleum every year thanks to the petroleum every year thanks to the

prohibition of free plastic bagsprohibition of free plastic bags

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

It's possible that...It's possible that...

There are people that ignore all this…

… but not you…

Now you know!!!

It's nothing more than a question of wanting to make a

change; and soon it will become a habit…

Jolubate te invita. Si no lo haces, no te va a pasar nada. Si lo haces, TU te sentiras mejor.