Plastic Bag Ban

While i was in California this summer it came to my attention that plastic bags were being banned from all groceries stores! I decided to look into the new regulation and what i found was pretty impressive.
 The California Legislative is attempting to pass a bill banning the use of plastic bags in grocery stores and other establishments all across the state. They have realized that most of the 12 billion bags used in the state usually end up in sewers which then leads to the ocean, adding to the other billions of plastic in the North Pacific garbage gyre.
 Marine Biologists went out to to examine the problem of the plastic bags, found  many dead birds and animals. Many of which had died due to the ingestion of plastics; including bottle caps, lighters, and other plastic nurdles. Most of the plastics had came for trash left on beaches or tossed from ocean liners.
In my opinion the bill would be such a great way to start improving the condition of today's water sewers and ocean. It would also save the state plenty of money when it comes to cleaning plastic refuse and would save thousands of animals from dying.


 Sources:
Steve Scauzillo: From nurdles to garbage gyres, plastic bags not worth it - Whittier Daily News http://www.whittierdailynews.com/news/ci_21450752/steve-scauzillo-from-nurdles-garbage-gyres-plastic-bags#ixzz27RGEhIn3

The Pacific Garbage Gyre

The Pacific Garbage Gyre is composed of  marine debris, the cause is mainly by cargo lost by ships. Much of the garbage (marine debris) would have been expected to just spread out into other oceans. The ocean gyre has a circular motion cause by winds that traps all of the debris making it impossible for it to spread. Therefore it is just trapped and is called what is now known as The Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

Dunn, Margery G. (Editor). (1989, 1993). "Exploring Your World: The Adventure of Geography." Washington, D.C.: National Geographic Society.