Plastic Bag Bans

Plastic Bag Bans Sweep Across Massachusetts

Legislation is being created across the state of Massachusetts and the rest of the nation to stop the use of plastic bags in stores. Rather, shoppers would be in charge of bringing their own reusable bags on their trips. So far bans exist in Brookline, Great Barrington, Manchester, and Nantucket with another ban pending in Cambridge. 

Why Ban?

Plastic bags can do a great deal of harm to the environment. 

• Every year, 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used and most of them end up as litter. 
• The bags can take 20 to 1,000 years to degrade and even after they have degraded, they are still toxic. 
• Bags find their way into the ocean and fish and other sea creatures are killed. 
• As the bags break down, marine animals ingest the toxins. Humans then indirectly consume them when they eat seafood.

Logistics

Bans currently exist in 4 municipalities in Massachusetts. Some state officials are hoping that a universal ban on the bags will be implemented by 2015.

Brookline:

The ban was approved in 2012 and went into effect in December of 2013. 
The ban includes plastic bags and polystyrene containers. About 70 businesses and 350 food service establishments have been affected by these bans. Officials are optimistic that the ban will go smoothly as businesses transition. 

Great Barrington:

In May 2013 the ban was approved by the town and it went into effect on March 1st, 2014. 
The ban in Great Barrington prohibits, "thin film, single-use plastic checkout bags." Bags such as those used for dry cleaning, trash, bulk produce, and other similar bags are exempt through the provision. Businesses who break the ban will be fined $50 dollars each day until they correct it, then fines increase for further violations. So far, there is widespread compliance with the rule. 

Manchester-by-the-Sea:

Manchester voted to ban bags in local stores in April of 2013. The ban went into effect on July 1st.
With over a two-thirds majority, the legislation passed easily. The bill in Manchester is similar to the rest of the bans which contain some provisions allowing certain bags to be used. 

Nantucket:

Nantucket was the first place in Massachusetts to ban the use of plastic bags, way back in 1990. 
They mandated that businesses use biodegradable packaging. It took over 20 years for other towns to get on board with the ban. After so long, having no plastic bags in Nantucket has become a way of life and people hardly even notice it anymore. 

Who Will Be Next?

There are many towns in Massachusetts that are currently contemplating the bag ban. Who will be the next to follow the trend and ban the bags? Within the next few years don't be surprised if you find yourself at the register being asked "Paper... or paper?" 

E-Waste

What is E-Waste?

E-Waste consists of discarded electronics such as:

• Computers
• Office equipment
• Entertainment devices
• Mobile phones, 
• Televisions
• Refrigerators
• And more

These electronics are improperly thrown into the garbage and sent to landfills or burned. Over the past decade, the amount of e-waste has increased exponentially due to the growing popularity of technology and the constant updating of new software causing people to replace their old devices with new ones. 

Why is it an issue?

E-waste isn't just any old trash. It contains toxic substances such as:

•  Lead
•  Mercury 
• Arsenic 
• Cadmium 
• Beryllium

 When the waste is burnt to dispose of it, the toxins are let into the air. These toxins have been proven to cause numerous diseases such as cancer, reproductive disorders, and endocrine disorders among others. Some of the toxins do not even break down, but rather accumulate in the food chain and biosphere. The high number of toxins present a risk to the community and the ecosystem. 

Facts about E-Waste

• E-waste is equal to 2% of trash in landfills but 70% of overall waste
• Every year, phones containing over $60 million worth of gold or silver are thrown into the trash
• Only 12.5% of E-waste is currently recycled
• E-waste is the fastest growing municipal waste stream in the US
• The United States' E-waste ends up in Africa, India, and China
• Global E-waste is supposed to grow 8% per year

How can you help?

Reduce: 

Instead of always buying the brand new gadgets as they come out, wait until your old electronics are not working well anymore. Take better care of them if you're one to always break your phone or other device. That way you won't have to constantly get new ones. You'll also be saving yourself a lot of money in doing so. 

Reuse:

Maybe you don't want that old iPhone 4 anymore but there are plenty of people out there that do. Think about donating your phone or even trading it in. Goodwill has a program where they donate or sell computers and other technology to aid the community in job training and building employment opportunities. There are also programs like Cell Phone for Soldiers, March of Dimes, and Keep America Beautiful that collect cell phones for those who need them. 

Recycle

There are many organizations out there today that will take your old electronics and recycle them properly. They ensure that they are sent to proper facilities that can handle these electronics and know how to safely dispose of them. Check out locations near you

What the Frack?

There's a new "F" word in town...

Fracking has been around for awhile, always causing its fair share of controversy. Activists in states around the United States are fighting hard against the practice. However, most people have no idea what fracking is.

So what exactly is fracking?

That's a good question, and a lot of people couldn't answer it. Fracking is a nickname for high-volume horizontal hydraulic fracturing. Right now you're probably still thinking "what the frack." 

Basically fracking is a new drilling technology that allows us to reach natural gas. Drillers, use sand, water, and chemicals and inject them inside of shale rock. This high pressure releases the gas inside. 

Okay cool, so fracking is just a new way to get gas right? Yes and no. Yes, fracking is a new way to reach natural gases. No, not just, there are A LOT of dangers to this form of drilling, hence all the controversy around this new form of technology and why activists everywhere are fighting against it. 

What's so dangerous about it?

There are numerous documented side effects of the fracking process that put our water, air, and overall health at risk. These dangers include::

• 40,000 gallons of chemicals used per fracturing.
• Methane gas and toxic chemicals contaminate groundwater.
• Drinking water contamination causing sensory, respiratory, and neurological damage.
• Small earth tremors caused by the process.

Everyday 300,000 barrels of natural gas are produced by fracking, so it's easy to see why the process has become so popular. However, the immense health and environmental risks that stem from the process may not be worth it. 

The debate will surely continue on as pro and anti-fracking advocates fight over the future of the process.