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How can Australia reduce the use of plastic bags by 80% in just six months

Edit:admin source:未知 Date:2019-06-09 00:29 viewed:

Plastic waste is the most problematic waste on the planet. It has terrible effects on the world and the environment. All plastics are made from non-renewable or unsustainable natural resources, including coal, crude oil and natural gas.

Nine single-use plastic bags, like those offered at a typical grocery store, contain enough oil energy to power a one-kilometer car. This type of energy is called embedded energy. Non-recycled plastic is discarded after a single use, wasting the energy it contains.

This depletes resources and leads to a lot of waste flooding the earth. That's why australians are working so hard to reduce the use of plastic bags. So far, their efforts have been incredibly successful. In only half a year, their consumption of plastic bags has significantly decreased!

But we should be discussing, just as important, whether other countries can replicate this success.

In 2018, two of Australia's largest supermarket chains decided to ban single-use plastic bags from all their stores. That led to an astonishing 80 per cent drop in the use of plastic bags across the country, according to the National Retail Association.

Woolworths was the first to make the decision in June 2018. This resulted in a staggering 1.5 billion plastic bags being saved from the supermarket landfill.

Soon after, in July 2018, coles followed suit and decided to switch to cloth bags permanently. Their new policy came into effect on the same day that Queensland's ban on plastic bags came into effect.

Countless people across the country are praising these companies for their efforts to achieve greener, more sustainable business models. Stroll through an Australian grocery store today and you'll find that most shoppers around the country carry shopping bags with them -- a major step forward in reducing plastic bag use.

Moreover, retailers with such a national presence are sure to pave the way for other smaller players to follow suit, making it desirable to produce reusable alternatives. It prevents customer resistance and enables many companies to implement greener solutions without fear of backlash.

Next, the supermarkets will focus on other sources of disposable plastic, such as packaging products.

Australia's commendable and successful efforts to reduce plastic waste in a positive way should set an example for the rest of the world. Our oceans and environment are in danger because of the surplus of plastic, a problem that deserves the attention of people all over the world.

So, do what you can to reduce plastic waste today, starting with plastic bags!

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