Think Green Live Clean

Photo Credit: Steve Punter

With a population over 8 million, Mexico City is making a dent in the production of plastic bags with its new ban outlawing the usage of standard plastic bags at the checkout line in supermarkets throughout the city. Only five months ago, the City passed a law requiring all stores to provide biodegradable bags in place of their harmful counterpart. On Wednesday, August 19, this law went into effect and will allow for a one-year grace period before penalties are imposed. (Such penalties have yet to be outlined).

Mexico City is following a movement already established in many places throughout the United States, such as San Francisco, where the ban was set in place in 2007, and the District of Columbia, where a bag tax was enforced this year. China, Italy, South Africa, Belgium and many other countries have designed a variety of restrictions on plastic bags.

In order to keep up with the ban, major stores have been working with plastic bag suppliers in order to create an alternative option that is earth-friendly. For example, Wal-Mart has set a goal of reducing half of the number of plastic bags they send out with shoppers by the year 2013. They have already sold some 1.6 million bright green reusable bags thus far and plan on handing out 237 million fewer bags each year.

It’s about time major cities begin taking these steps towards a more sustainable environment. According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. An estimated 12 million barrels of oil is required to make that many plastic bags. It’s only a matter of time before we run out of resources to supply such unnecessary items. So, next time you shop, don’t leave the store carrying a plastic bag. If we all used the alternative of our own recycled bag, cloth tote, or biodegradable plastic bag, one of the most lethal polluters created by man would be removed from circulation.

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