To the Editor:

Americans use about 100 billion plastic bags every year and only about 3 percent get recycled. The rest of them end up in landfills and in our oceans.

We are all at risk from these pollutants that contain toxic chemicals that are poisoning us and our marine life and never break down.

If we keep on our present course, by the year 2050, it is estimated that there will be more plastic in the ocean than fish! (World Economic Forum Study, 2018). We can and must take action to eliminate the use of unnecessary plastic in our daily lives. We can begin with single-use plastic bags.

Many other countries have banned the use of plastic bags. The state of Connecticut has tried and failed to ban them. Westport reacted to this failure by passing its own ban in 2008; Greenwich passed its ban this year, and there are many other towns in our state working on their own bans. Newtown uses an estimated 3,000,000 single-use plastic bags per year. Everyone has reusable bags, but they often remain in our cars when we go to the store.

Remember to use them! It is time for us to say no to plastic bags. We owe it to our children and our children’s children.

Sincerely,

Lynn Hungaski

Newtown Environmental Action Team

29 Valley View Road, Newtown August 15, 2018