Australians use 6.9 billion plastic bags every year, that's 325 per person. Tied together they will circulate the globe 42.5 times and with them lasting in excess of 1000 years, they will be around long after we aren't.
We are killing 100,000+ sea creatures, that's turtles, sharks, dolphins, seals and whales, each year to plastic entanglement or suffocation. You can add 1 million + sea birds to that figure as well.
A simple ban like they have in Italy, Rewanda, Bangladesh, most of California and hundreds of other cities around the world will mean that as consumers we are not thrown these elthal bags every time we go shopping. Alternatives are as simple as compostable bags or reusable bags.
Last time we contacted the Australian environment minister we got a response that it is too expensive to put in place. How much is our marine life really worth and considering an estimated clean up cost of $4 million Australian tax dollars every year, can we afford not to implement such a policy.
You signature will add weight to our next letter. Please help us help our wildlife today.
"We the Undersigned"
Single use plastic bags are killing our marine life. Around the world we kill in excess of 100,000+ marine creatures due to plastic suffocation or entanglement and you can add another 1 million + sea birds to that figure.
Here in Australia we are handed single use plastic bags far too easily and whilst I say no myself on a daily basis to these killers, we need to implement a ban on them to help save our seas.
It is estimated that the tax payers spend in excess of AUD$4 million every year cleaning up plastic bags. A simple ban on single use bags will mean all plastic bags are either compostable or bio-degradable, helping our environment in the long run and saving our marine creatures.
Bans around the world in places like Italy (formerly the world's biggest users of plastic bags), Bangladesh, Rewanda and most parts of California show that a change is easily done and accepted by people very quickly. Other places have introduced taxes or make people pay for the bags resulting in massive reduction of usage (90% reduction in Ireland in the first year).
You can make a difference today by initiating an Australia-wide ban on single use plastic bags. Please help us help our wildlife today.
Thank you for your time.
