As a member of Earth’s beautiful, yet crumbling biological community, I want to expose you to our society’s secret killer. Single-use plastics are overrunning our waterways, poisoning our atmosphere and clogging the bellies of endangered wildlife.
The absolute worst of these plastics is polystyrene, more commonly known as Styrofoam, because it takes centuries to biodegrade and it secretes harmful chemicals that end up poisoning our environment, our wildlife and even us! The American Chemistry Council, which produces and sells polystyrene, admits that their products secrete styrene and benzene, which are known carcinogens that leak into food in foam containers and affect our bodies’ ability to grow!
The concerned citizens of the Earth have come to a consensus that in order to avoid the dangers of plastic pollution, we must avoid the use of plastic and polystyrene altogether. That is why we need a ban on all polystyrene cups and takeout containers in the city of Eugene. If we act locally, our impact can be felt globally, and banning polystyrene is a practical next step for preparation in the face of climate change.