Banning plastic bags is not only the right thing to do, but the smart thing.
The U.S. alone goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. Worldwide it is estimated that only 1-3% of plastic bags are recycled.
Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade- breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits, contaminating soil and waterways. They then enter the food web when animals and sea life as small as plankton accidentally ingest them.
Looking at it from a different perspective, the amount of petroleum used to make 1 plastic bag would drive a car about 11 meters.
Multiple countries have outright banned plastic bags, why can't we? It is our responsibility to ensure a toxic free environment for future generations. Today is the start of tomorrow's future.