Earth Day April 22 2008

Where Will You Begin?

Sharon A Singer

· Let Earth Day, 2008, mark the day when you decide to make some life-style changes.

· Educate yourself about conservation issues, and make a choice about where you will start.

· Begin with one small thing, rather than trying to tackle all everything at once.

Since 1970, Earth Day¹ has officially been known as, “a national day of observance of environmental problems,” in the words of Senator Gaylord Nelson. Although recognized as its founder, from its beginnings this was a grassroots effort. However, in the ensuing years it has become more and more organized, with everyone, including government, jumping on the bandwagon. But the power of the day and what it can achieve still lies primarily with the people, not with government.

This year at Make A Difference Today we would like to encourage everyone to return to the grassroots origins of Earth Day. I’m not advocating forgetting the role of government, but simply recognize that it must begin with me, and you, and you, and you.

We chose to focus on the simple plastic bag. Once or twice a week we all must stop at the grocery store. In the checkout line we’re always asked, “paper, or plastic?” Nine times out of ten most of us choose plastic. The story we tell ourselves goes something like this: “What harm can a plastic bag do²?” If you would like to see, follow the link. http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/sci/tech/7314240.stm

The number of plastic bags in circulation is estimated to be somewhere between 50 to 80 billion bags a year in the United States alone, states Allen Hirschkowitz, the director of the municipal waste program at the Natural Resources Defense Council³. They are used briefly, and then they must go somewhere. The real problem is they can take a long time in going. The fact is, says the Natural Environment Blog⁴, “traditional (plastic) bags in use today will still be around 1,000 years from now”. That is a very long time.

We, in the United States, are not the only country in the world guilty of spreading this plague in the name of convenience. Because this is on a global scale some feel that we simply don’t have enough time to attempt re-educating people and to find the right motivations for behavior changes. Given the fact that, “over one trillion plastic bags are being used on this planet every year,” reports the Natural Environment Blog, something must be done now. The blog also poses the question of whether so-called biodegradable plastic bags⁵ go far enough. This might be one of those issues that would be good to research yourself, and then push your government to enact laws with some real teeth.

As we all know, governments are often slow to respond. But there is hope. Finally, in 2006, Zanzibar⁶ (a British island near the coast of Africa), imposed a ban on plastic shopping bags. Anyone found producing, importing, using or selling plastic bags could face a fine of up to US$2000 (euro$1,600) and a jail sentence of up to a year, according to Ali Juma, Zanzibar’s director of environmental protection. Now that’s only one tiny island in the face of the entire world but, who knows? a worldwide grassroots effort might just get done what no government, with their bans, restrictions, and laws have been able to do thus far.

So the next time you’re asked your preference at the checkout, say, “Neither!” Then whip out your reusable bag⁷ (which, of course, you always keep handy.) Retailers, who offer those deadly plastic bags for their convenience sake, must eventually bow down to the desires of their customers and offer good alternatives. The Whole Foods⁸ chain of stores is actually ahead of public opinion in this area. By April 22 of this year they will have removed plastic bags from their stores, and will now offer recycled paper or reusable bags for just 99 cents, says A. C. Gallo, the company’s co-president and chief operating officer. We say, “Bravo!” We are anticipating that others will quickly follow suit.

Make Earth Day more than a one day event make this a day that invades your life. This would be the perfect time to begin to get those deadly plastic bags out of your life. Resolve now to make this a day when you begin to change your habits of convenience into something that will truly make a difference in the life of this planet⁹.

Explore Earth Day TV and then take part in creating it by submitting your 'green' environmental videos to communications@earthday.net!