Argumentative Essay On Plastic Bags

Consumers worldwide use 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags per year (Greenwire). Plastic bags are loved by many because of their convenience. They are thin, almost weightless, bags that almost every store provides to carry purchases. Consumers enjoy plastic bags to paper and reusable because they are resistant to moisture and can be reused for many purposes, but many are ignorant of the harm plastic bags to the environment. Although the plastic bags are being reused for several other purposes they almost always end up being littered, put in landfills, or chemically recycled. “The Plastic Bag Ban” has been recently taking over the nation and the world to try to stop the harm caused by these plastic bags from littering on the streets to littering

Many cities are placing this regulation in “covered stores,” which includes general vendors, wholesale establishments, drug stores, pharmacies, grocery stores, supermarkets, convenience stores, or food marts (The New York City Council). Many have fought for and against this regulation, but there are several valid points to each side, regarding theology, government, and economics. Should the Tyler City Council enact an ordinance placing a monetary fee on single use plastic bags in “covered stores”?
All citizenry contains the responsibility to be ‘protectors’ of God’s creation and environment. Pope Francis gave his first homily as the Bishop of Rome on March 19, 2013, promulgating that “all those who have positions of responsibility in economic, political and social life, and all men and women of goodwill: let us be ‘protectors’ of creation, protectors of God’s plan inscribed in nature, protectors of one another and of the environment. Let us not

Beginning in 2010, the city of Brownsville, one of the poorest cities in Texas at the time, imposed an optional ban on plastic leading up to a mandatory ban of plastic bags January 5, 2011, where plastic bags were still provided for a fee of $1.00. While this fee seems rather steep compared to other cities, which only charge 5-15 cents, it has proven to improve their economy. The National Center for Policy Analysis (NACP) has discovered that, as of August 2013, $1.9 million dollars has been collected as a result of their $1.00 fee. This revenue has exceeded the expenses of litter control by more that $1 million. Mayor Pat Ahumada of Brownsville said the plastic bag ban/fee has “transformed our city from littered and dirty to a much cleaner city.” While reducing the harmful effects of the littering of plastic bags, plastic bags have become and income for Brownsville. Despite the differences between Tyler and Brownsville, Brownsville’s ban and fee on plastic bags should work for the City of Tyler, while reducing the harmful effects of plastic bags and reducing the amount of money spent on litter