Woodridge Debates On Plastic Bags

COMMENTARY BY VICTORIA BELL, FNN REPORTER. PHOTO BY KYRA WILLIAMS, WOODRIDGE BUREAU. 

April 25, 2011  Lawmakers in Oregon want to make a new law to stop stores from giving customers plastic shopping bags. If the new law is passed, shoppers will be required to pay five cents for each bag or use their own reusable bags. Cities such as Washington, DC and the entire country of Italy have already put similar laws in place. Those in favor of the law say cutting back on the use of plastic bags will reduce the amount of trash in landfills. Those against the measure say they should not have to purchase a grocery bag and that people can recycle plastic bags at home.

Students spoke out about the issue of plastic bags. Here is what they had to say.

JALEN GRAHAM: NO.  I use bags to bring my lunch to school.  They don’t hurt the earth if you take care of your stuff.  I reuse them all of the time.  They are also good to put trash in. I have loads of them after I go to the store. I have to use them if I want to carry a lot of things at once.

RYNEISHA McKENZIE: YES. Plastic bags should be banned because plastic bags are not good for the environment.  Reusable bags can help customers more and you would not have to pay five cents each time you go grocery shopping.

Victoria Bell, Ryneisha McKenzie and Jalen Graham are 5th graders at Woodridge Academy.