At a recent meeting of the Lions Club, Sierra Club member Nancy Phillips informed Lions of the international ecology problem created by the use of thin plastic bags, such as those used by most grocery and department stores. According to Phillips, perhaps as many as one trillions such bags are utilized each year worldwide and since the non-biodegradable bags are generally not recyclable, they end up in landfills, making up over 12 percent of total municipal waste, as well as in storm drains, rivers, and the oceans.  Numerous cities around the world (and the entire state of California) have outlawed single use plastic bags, while others have placed a tax on their use.  When three European countries placed a tax on plastic bags in 2002 usage dropped by 94 percent within a few weeks.  Phillips (left) and Lions vice president Jim Gray (right) are shown holding a bag containing 500 of the single use plastic bags.

A reminder to the Murray community you can drop off plastic single use bags at the Bill Wells Make a Difference Day on Saturday, January 14th at Roy Stewart Stadium.