![\"trash9\"](\"http:\/\/www.cawater-info.net\/all_about_water\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2014\/04\/trash9.jpg\")
<\/a>The single-use carryout plastic bag is certainly convenient but its use since the 1960s has definitely taken its toll on the environment. There is so much evidence out there about the affect of these single-use carryout bags on wildlife and sea life that its ban in communities across the world is certainly a welcome step to saving wildlife and sea life from premature death by ingestion of these bags or bag particles. <\/p>\nBefore we get to some plastic bag infographics and the plastic bag\u2019s connection to water, first some specifics of the City of Austin bag ban\u2026<\/p>\n
Overview: Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance<\/strong><\/p>\n On March 2, 2012, the Austin City Council unanimously approved the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance, which took effect March 1, 2013. The ordinance regulates the types of bags that can be distributed by businesses in Austin and promotes a change to reusable bags.<\/p>\n However, it does not completely eliminate all plastic or paper carryout bags. Affected business establishments may not provide single-use carryout plastic bags to its customers or any person and shall display signage to educate their customers about their bag options. Now businesses are required to provide reusable bags at checkout, but the ordinance does not require businesses to charge a fee for reusable bags.<\/p>\n Reusable bag options include:<\/p>\n Not all businesses are affected by the bag ban though. Below are the bags are exempt from the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance:<\/p>\n So What Are You to Do?<\/strong><\/p>\n It\u2019s simple\u2026 either bring a reusable bag from home or purchase a reusable bag at the store\u2019s checkout. It may be difficult to remember to bring your own reusable bag at the beginning but eventually the habit will form. I have been doing a test run since the first of the year and there have been a few times that I did not get my reusable bags back into my car\u2019s trunk before the next store visit. I believe in a few months to a year, the use of reusable bags will become second-nature to the residents of Austin.<\/p>\n What\u2019s Wrong with Plastic Bags Anyway?<\/strong><\/p>\n The infographic below sums up many of the connection points between plastic bags and water.\u00a0 Due to how we collect our trash, it seems like plastic bags can get free of their \u201clandfill bounds\u201d and find their way to the ocean.\u00a0 Here is where the plastic bags does the most damage to wildlife whether through prematurely killing wildlife or through the pollution of sea water by plastics.<\/p>\n Some of the statistics here are pretty sobering\u2026<\/p>\n\n
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