LETTER: COVID-19 EMERGENCY IS NO REASON TO LIFT BAN ON SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS.
Americans consume 100 billion single use plastic bags every year, but less than five percent of these bags are recycled. Many communities ban the use of these single use bags. Photo: army.mil
Editor’s Note: A version of this letter appeared previously in the Amherst Bulletin.
World Health Day is April 7th and Earth day is April 22nd. There’s not much to celebrate on either day, as we navigate this unprecedented time of both health and climate crises.
Amherst is a special place, though, and we have been showing our humanity by practicing social solidarity and kindness to our fellow residents over the past weeks.
And because Amherst has historically been on the forefront of environmental action, we want to remind people that we should be maintaining the environmental gains we have made over the years. We have seen that the Trump administration is using the COVID 19 crisis as cover to roll back environmental gains – including lifting local bans on business’ use of single use plastic bags. Governor Baker last week signed an order intended to prevent the use of possibly contaminated reusable bags. That makes sense, but reverting to the use of plastic bags does not. As reported in the New York TImes this week, Environmental experts stress that single-use plastics can still harbor viruses and bacteria they pick up from their manufacturing, transport, stocking or use. A study by the U.S. National Institutes of Health found that the coronavirus can remain on plastics for up to three days.
On behalf of Zero Waste Amherst, I urge Amherst businesses to reject Trumpian suggestions to lift our Amherst ban on single use plastic bags and instead, take advantage of the other options suggested by Governor Baker – by using paper or compostable bags and containers instead. Let’s rise above the nonsense and reject environmental rollbacks in our town.
I invite residents to find out more about Zero Waste Amherst, a volunteer group of residents committed to achieving zero waste goals in Amherst in all levels of society. We invite the community to contact us at zwamherst@gmail.com and to visit our website. Join us!
Laura Rojo MacLeod
Laura Rojo MacLeod is a bilingual educator and translator and a member of the steering committee of Zero Waste Amherst.