Governments worldwide are taking control of a pollution problem with bans on different forms of plastic, including shopping bags. The Indian state of Karnataka has completely banned the use of plastic. No wholesale dealer, retailer or trader can now use or sell plastic carrier bags, plates, cups, spoons, cling film or even microbeads.

San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban plastic shopping bags in 2007, and in 2014 it banned plastic water bottles on city properties. Since then, they have included Styrofoam and thermocol (polystyrene). Hawaii introduced a ban on single-use plastic bags in 2015.

Coles Bay, Tasmania, was the first town in Australia to ban disposable plastic bags in 2003, using 350,000 fewer than in 2002. Ethiopia, France and Morocco have followed suit. It’s all part of a global movement to protect the life of oceans and other bodies of water.

Take the Greenpeace Plastic Pledge at Tinyurl.com/TakeThePlasticPledge.

This article appears in the June 2017 issue of Natural Awakenings.