Photo by Daniel DeBoom
3:20pm | A giant sea turtle appeared in the courtyard of Long Beach City Hall on Tuesday afternoon, pleading with the human race to ban single-use plastic bags in California because they pose a threat to his environment. Graceful in the sea but rather clumsy on land, the 25-foot long turtle used his massive flippers to drag himself out of the water, across Ocean Blvd. and onto the steps of City Hall, confusing onlookers all the way.
Ok, not really. But a giant inflatable sea turtle did join some City officials and environmentalists to support AB 1998, which would ban single-use plastic bags in grocery stores throughout California because they do not break down and are very harmful to the environment, particularly marine animals.
The State Senate will likely vote on the bill in the next two weeks. Governor Schwarzenegger has expressed his support for the bill if it reaches his desk. If passed into law, California would become the first state in the country to ban single-use plastic bags.
“Long Beach supports the passage of AB 1998 as a means of addressing the negative impact of single-use bags upon our marine environment and community health,” 2nd District City Councilmember Suja Lowenthal said at the event.
Advocate group Environment California estimates that 267 species of animals are affected by plastic bags every year, and the Pacific Leatherback Sea Turtle was used as a main example. They easily mistake plastic bags for jellyfish, a main prey item, and will eat the harmful bags. The Turtle Islands Restoration Network estimates that one-third of adult turtles have ingested plastic, and the species’ population has declined by 95% in the last twenty years.
“Every year in California, we use 19 billion bags – enough to get to the moon 15 times,” said Gina Goodhill of Environment California. “Nothing that we use for 5 minutes should pollute the ocean for 500 years.”
In the meantime, if you’re looking for ways to do your part, do what I do and just save your plastic bags. I keep a few in the trunk for quick grocery runs. I’ve also got a few canvas bags that I try to remember to bring with me.
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