For Immediate Release
Contact:
Joanie Steinhaus
Campaign Director, Gulf Office
Turtle Island Restoration Network
joanie@tirn.net
“Bring the Bag” PSA Launched in Galveston, Texas, to Reduce Single-Use Plastic Bag Pollution
(Galveston, TX) – Turtle Island Restoration Network and the Surfrider Foundation, Galveston Chapter, launched a public service announcement in Galveston, Texas, to encourage people to bring an eco-friendly tote to avoid single-use plastic bags. The PSA will be aired on the City of Galveston TV, in Galveston-area hotels, and in a local mall.
Joanie Steinhaus, the Campaign Director at Turtle Island Restoration Network’s Gulf Office, said, “Single-use plastic bags are a major problem for our earth, our communities, and our wildlife. But each of us can make a big difference by changing our own habits. By simply bringing a reusable tote instead of using plastic bags at the store, we can prevent hundreds of plastic bags from entering our waterways each year.”
Turtle Island and Surfrider Foundation Galveston launched the Bring the Bag campaign in January 2013 to help the City of Galveston work toward the reduction and elimination of single-use plastic bags to create a safer, healthier, and cleaner environment.
One person alone uses 500 plastic bags a year. These hazardous plastics then infiltrate our waterways, oceans, and beaches. Each plastic bag takes 1,000 years to break down.
Plastic bags are hazardous to the marine animals that inhabit our oceans and waterways. For example, sea turtles sometimes confuse plastic bags for jellyfish, a source of food for a hungry turtle. The turtles can then eat or become entangled in plastic bags, which can harm or even kill them.
Janese Maricelli, Surfrider Foundation Galveston Chapter said, “We are excited to team up with Turtle Island to share information about plastic pollution with Galveston residents. By simply bringing a reusable bag, people can make a huge difference in their communities and in the world.”
Participate in the Bring the Bag campaign today by making a commitment to bring a reusable bag when shopping and stop the wasteful cycle of single-use plastic bags. Join us by taking the 30-Day Challenge and vow to go single-use plastic bag free for one month!
Watch the PSA for the Bring the Bag campaign to learn more about how plastics affect our waterways: https://vimeo.com/224330853.
For more tips on how to go green, or to learn more about the campaign, visit www.BringtheBag.org. You can also like the campaign on Facebook for frequent updates and tips: https://www.facebook.com/BTBGalveston/.
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