5 thoughts on “Problem Memo on the Ban of Plastic Bags”
Hello Nabjot!
This was a very passionate memo and i thorough enjoyed reading it. I felt compelled to agree with it as I read through. I think you clearly stated the harms that plastic bags have on our environment and our health(which i think was great for people who can’t seem to grasp that we are what we eat!). You spoke to those who might not be advocates also. I think it was great that you sited that some experts claim that canvass totes can lead to e coli and then quickly dispelled it by adding the fact that cleaning the bag prevents the disease. I learned a lot about the Pacific garbage patch from your memo. The facts you presented on the fact that National Geographic says that 70% of the garbage ends up on the ocean floor and that the pacific garbage patch is 2 times the size of Texas were really compelling.
Hi Nabjot,
You did make the best possible case for the seriousness of the plastic bags problem. Using facts makes your argument stronger. It is mind blowing to know that 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away in the United States every year. “Since plastic bags do not biodegrade as stated earlier, these animals are not the only ones that are affected by this. The bags will break into smaller and smaller particles until they are small enough to enter the food chain, which out numbers the plankton population in the ocean.” This was a great way to tie in and explain how plastic bags are harmful. It is upsetting that only 3% of plastic bags are actually recycled. Using statistics about china and how they banned plastic bags four years ago should show the reader that this ban is more than doable and would be beneficial. You picked an important topic and backed it up well in your memo.
-Dianna
Hi Nabjot,
I certainly feel the ethos, pathos, and logos in your policy memo. Reading your memo I would say was extremely captivating and interesting (and even made me more aware of the issue). Perhaps awareness is one of the main factors in this issue…? Anyways, more specifically I enjoyed how you provided a way of conceptualizing the issue by comparing the pollution with 12 million barrels of oil going into the sea. It is interesting to note how companies try to lobby against plastic bag restrictions by funding studies where they plan to “benefit” from the study. Fortunately, University of Arizona was neutral enough to clearly state the facts as it is.
If I may, as a constructive suggestion, I would try to include more of the hard numbers in the beginning of the write-up. This makes your piece even more credible and hooks the reader from the very beginning. I would also try to not let emotion lead your words. In some very few instances, I felt that I was reading more of a complaint rather than a memo. NONETHELESS, your policy memo has delivered its message, in my opinion. It is funny how now I feel guilty of using plastic bags after reading your memo. The message was certainly executed.
I really like this topic. New York City tried to pass a bill in creating an extra .05 cent fee towards plastic bags and that fee would go straight to the business owner. This would have driven people to bring their own plastic/cloth bags and start using paper bags. The only people that would have been excluded from this fee would have been people who have snap benefits. This bill brought about lots of questions, and concerns such as if this was to happen it would eliminate jobs for those who create the bags. This rose another question, that if they tax plastic bags what else could they tax. They tried banning the usage of styrofoam but they eliminated that law. I really enjoyed the stats that you provided, the outcome of using plastic bag is affecting us. After reading your Memo, I learned a couple of things but this phrase is one that struck me the most “studies show that children over the age of six presently test positive for BPA, which is not supposed to be found in humans at all.” I learned something new.
Did someone say vote? Just based on this article, if it ever came up for a vote, I’d vote to ban all plastic bags.
This was a very persuasive case. Acknowledging the deadly use of plastic in our everyday life connects the reader to the problem, and then segueing into highlighting just how damaging that common, everyday use by all of us is to the environment flows really well.
I like the evidentiary pieces using both the media, other research, and scientific explanations which aren’t too technical lends credibility to your argument. Then closing out your appeal with a comparison to the immense impact China’s ban on plastic had, hints at just how significant a change in New York could be.
Hello Nabjot!
This was a very passionate memo and i thorough enjoyed reading it. I felt compelled to agree with it as I read through. I think you clearly stated the harms that plastic bags have on our environment and our health(which i think was great for people who can’t seem to grasp that we are what we eat!). You spoke to those who might not be advocates also. I think it was great that you sited that some experts claim that canvass totes can lead to e coli and then quickly dispelled it by adding the fact that cleaning the bag prevents the disease. I learned a lot about the Pacific garbage patch from your memo. The facts you presented on the fact that National Geographic says that 70% of the garbage ends up on the ocean floor and that the pacific garbage patch is 2 times the size of Texas were really compelling.
Hi Nabjot,
You did make the best possible case for the seriousness of the plastic bags problem. Using facts makes your argument stronger. It is mind blowing to know that 100 billion plastic bags are thrown away in the United States every year. “Since plastic bags do not biodegrade as stated earlier, these animals are not the only ones that are affected by this. The bags will break into smaller and smaller particles until they are small enough to enter the food chain, which out numbers the plankton population in the ocean.” This was a great way to tie in and explain how plastic bags are harmful. It is upsetting that only 3% of plastic bags are actually recycled. Using statistics about china and how they banned plastic bags four years ago should show the reader that this ban is more than doable and would be beneficial. You picked an important topic and backed it up well in your memo.
-Dianna
Hi Nabjot,
I certainly feel the ethos, pathos, and logos in your policy memo. Reading your memo I would say was extremely captivating and interesting (and even made me more aware of the issue). Perhaps awareness is one of the main factors in this issue…? Anyways, more specifically I enjoyed how you provided a way of conceptualizing the issue by comparing the pollution with 12 million barrels of oil going into the sea. It is interesting to note how companies try to lobby against plastic bag restrictions by funding studies where they plan to “benefit” from the study. Fortunately, University of Arizona was neutral enough to clearly state the facts as it is.
If I may, as a constructive suggestion, I would try to include more of the hard numbers in the beginning of the write-up. This makes your piece even more credible and hooks the reader from the very beginning. I would also try to not let emotion lead your words. In some very few instances, I felt that I was reading more of a complaint rather than a memo. NONETHELESS, your policy memo has delivered its message, in my opinion. It is funny how now I feel guilty of using plastic bags after reading your memo. The message was certainly executed.
I really like this topic. New York City tried to pass a bill in creating an extra .05 cent fee towards plastic bags and that fee would go straight to the business owner. This would have driven people to bring their own plastic/cloth bags and start using paper bags. The only people that would have been excluded from this fee would have been people who have snap benefits. This bill brought about lots of questions, and concerns such as if this was to happen it would eliminate jobs for those who create the bags. This rose another question, that if they tax plastic bags what else could they tax. They tried banning the usage of styrofoam but they eliminated that law. I really enjoyed the stats that you provided, the outcome of using plastic bag is affecting us. After reading your Memo, I learned a couple of things but this phrase is one that struck me the most “studies show that children over the age of six presently test positive for BPA, which is not supposed to be found in humans at all.” I learned something new.
Did someone say vote? Just based on this article, if it ever came up for a vote, I’d vote to ban all plastic bags.
This was a very persuasive case. Acknowledging the deadly use of plastic in our everyday life connects the reader to the problem, and then segueing into highlighting just how damaging that common, everyday use by all of us is to the environment flows really well.
I like the evidentiary pieces using both the media, other research, and scientific explanations which aren’t too technical lends credibility to your argument. Then closing out your appeal with a comparison to the immense impact China’s ban on plastic had, hints at just how significant a change in New York could be.