In my campaign, I am proposing that people use reusable grocery bags when they go shopping to decrease the amount of greenhouse gases in our atmosphere.
Artist Statement
For my Voice Project, I am focusing on the ocean pollution and greenhouse gases caused by plastic bags. Research shows that there is a trash patch in the Pacific Ocean the size of Europe. Marine animals mistake the trash for food. When they eat the plastic, tiny particles block their digestive system and cause death. Moreover, the trash such as plastic bags, bottles, etc. get dumped onto a landfill. It takes up to 1,000 years for a plastic bag to decompose. During that time, the chemicals for the bag can harm the animals and even humans around that area which will reduce the population of the ecosystems. How will we clean up the huge trash patch in the ocean and if we do, how will we destroy the trash? People all over the world need to realize and change their use of plastic. I found a way we could reduce plastic when I saw people carrying reusable bags instead of plastic bags at Trader Joe’s. I thought this was a great idea. Therefore, my call to action is for everyone to get reusable bags and to keep at least two bags in each car for shopping. When I interviewed some faculty members at PRS, most replied saying that they forget to use the car with the reusable bags in them. To fix this problem, I have created a poster and website to convince them with this new idea: leave some reusable bags in each car. Although plastic bags are only a one-time use, reusable bags can be used for up to 131 times. Moreover, reusable bags can also carry heavy items unlike plastic bags. My goal is for more people to help this global problem by using reusable bags.