Stealing Our Earth, One Bag At a Time

 Thinking Geographically about Environmental Impacts

  1. While plastic bags account for a multitude of waste on our planet, I would like to focus specifically on the African City of Nairobi. The plastic bag issue is no longer minor, but controlling a better part of the city. The bags have entered into waterways, causing water to stop flowing. Likewise, the land is becoming useless for agricultural purposes. Not only is this taking away from natural resources, but it’s also posing health risks to residents. When it rains, moisture is created in these trapped plastic bags, attracting slews of mosquitos.

  2. In Mumbai, India, compelling efforts have taken off in attempting to manage the issue of plastic bags. One way is through the direct force of anti-bag police. Each morning, police are sent out to keep the “thin” bags off the streets. The “thin” bags have been claimed as illegal in the city. Their first stop is the local market, the heart of the city. Here, they calibrate the thin bags and fine sellers if they have them. By using these efforts, the police have managed to take tens of thousands of kilos of illegal bags off the streets. A similar practice is taking place in Ireland, where shoppers are charged 30 cents for using plastic bags. It was estimated that bag use dropped 90% overnight.  

  3. There are many ways to deal with this plastic bag waste, but I’ve chosen a few that could strongly make a difference. One major way is implementing fees or bans on plastic bags. While this could take some time to put in order, it could limit the amount of plastic bags reaching parts of the environment. Another way is to cut off plastic bag production completely. While this would be a drastic measure, it forces people to seek other alternatives. Lastly, we need to create easier ways for people to recycle. If something takes an extra step, many people are put off. So, enacting better methods could help prevent some of the plastic bag waste. This issue is on a global scale, meaning everywhere can set regulations to limit plastic bag waste. In so many ways, plastic bags are misunderstood through their making, use, and impact. What we forget is that plastic bags are a more economically appealing option. This is only one pro to many cons. We must also remember that not all plastic bags are recyclable. That means plastic bags are taking too much time to decompose properly. Even though they come across as misunderstood, we must not mistake it as the issue it is.  

   

The following picture and resource I’ve chosen represent the irony in the issue of plastic bag waste. We see the bag polluting waters with the phrase “Have A Nice Day.” The bag has this contrasting message between inviting and damaging. The phrase on the bag is meant to show positivity, but the reality of the bag polluting the ocean sends a contradictory message. 

https://greenagenda.co.uk/news/the-irony-of-plastic-bags/

The external resource, continuing with the ironic theme, sheds light on the role plastic bags play in society. The story features an interview that took place in England. The man being interviewed revealed his son, who helped invent plastic bags, suggests that their job was to save the planet. At the time, they needed an alternative solution as paper bags were causing more damage to the earth through their production. 


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