Ban Plastic Bags on O'ahu

Aloha,
We, the undersigned, would like to express our concern for single-use plastic bags on the island of O'ahu. We believe that the most direct way to address the problem of plastic toxicity is by placing a widespread ban on the plastic bag. While the bag fee initiative creates money to promote awareness and education, we feel it only sidesteps the problem.
The world uses over 1.2 trillion plastic bags a year. That averages about 300 bags for each adult on the planet. That comes out to over one million bags being used per minute.

"On average we use each plastic bag for approximately 12 minutes before disposing. It then lasts in the environment for decades. Plastic bags, as with all forms of plastic, do not biodegrade. They photodegrade, breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil, waterways, oceans and entering the food web when ingested by animals." (c/o messageinthewaves.com)

‎"The Great Pacific Garbage Path located in the North Pacific Ocean, about 1,000 miles Northwest of Hawaii is estimated to be twice the size of Texas. The patch was created from 3.5 million tons of rubbish from around the Pacific Rim with 80% of the debris coming from land. Each year, over 300 million tons of plastic is produced with much of it in the form of one-time disposable plastic bags. An estimated 90% of these bags are NOT recycled. The U.S alone uses 100 billion new plastic bags each year - the average person goes through 350 - 500 bags." -via liberated cuts

Tens of thousands of whales, birds, seals and turtles are killed every year from plastic bag litter in the marine environment as they often mistake plastic bags for food such as jellyfish.

Plastic bags, once ingested, cannot be digested or passed by an animal so it stays in the gut. Plastic in an animal’s gut can prevent food digestion and can lead to a very slow and painful death. As an event coordinator for the nonprofit beach cleanup group Sustainable Coastlines, I have seen the horrible effects of plastic directly - and it is neverending. Pieces of plastic define the high tide marks, and no matter how much is collected, every new high tide deposits more plastic. If we don't take drastic measures soon, Hawai'i will look and feel depleted and dirty.

As plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to break down, once an animal dies and decays after ingesting plastic, the plastic is then freed back into the marine environment to carry on killing other wildlife.

Every fruit, every vegetable sold at one of the dozens of farmer's markets alone involves the transfer of a plastic bag. Offering plastic at checkouts is simply too convenient. It's like handing a thirsty person a bottle of water, when the other option of bringing their own bottle of water involves preplanned effort. There is absolutely no need for plastic bags, and no reason to keep them on the forefront of consumerism here in Hawaii. A bold Vitamin Cottage grocery store in Denver banned all bags, forcing patrons to HAVE TO remember their own or use their hands. It was hugely applauded. The only way we will experience dynamic change is if the government takes bold steps to protect the ocean and the marine life in it. Ban the plastic bag on O'ahu.

-About four-fifths of marine trash comes from land, swept by wind or washed by rain off highways and city streets, down streams and rivers, and out to sea. Nearly 90% of floating marine litter is plastic.
-Not all litter is deliberate. 47% of wind borne litter escaping from landfills is plastic. Much of this is plastic bags. In the marine environment plastic bag litter is lethal, killing at least 100,000 birds, whales, seals and turtles every year. After an animal is killed by plastic bags, its body decomposes and the plastic is released back into the environment where it can kill again.
- In June 2006 United Nations Environmental Program report estimated that there are an average of 46,000 pieces of plastic debris floating on or near the surface of every square mile of ocean
-Countries and States that have banned or taken action to discourage the use of plastic bags include: Australia, Bangladesh, Ireland, Italy, Taiwan, Mumbai (formerly Bombay), Scotland, France, West Bengal, Zanzibar, Tanzania, Switzerland, Rwanda, Denmark, Germany, South Africa, California, Somalia, Botswana, and the Philippines
(via messageinthewaves.com)

Thank you for your time and continued excellence in representing the people of Hawai'i. We hope you will give this matter the attention it deserves.