Carpenter, Susan. “Eight States Join CA to Make Manufacturers Responsible for Plastic Waste.” Spectrum News, 2 Feb. 2021, spectrumnews1.com/ca/la-west/environment/2021/02/01/eight-states-join-ca-to-make-manufacturers-responsible-for-plastic-waste.

This article begins by discussing how pollution sees no county, state, or country lines. The boundaries of California do not mean that pollution created within the state does not flow to other states, and vice versa. Because of this, often time state-wide policies and laws surrounding single use plastics are not as effective if not applicable to surrounding states. In 2020, a California bill was very close to passing, called the Plastic Pollution Producer Responsibility Act. This policy was created to make plastic producing companies to reduce waste more at the source. The message to the companies was that they are allowed to keep creating products, but in more environmental friendly ways with less plastic packaging. The policy however was not passed, but it is up again for voting in 2021. In California currently, curbside recycling only occurs in 32% of single family households, and can and should be increased. In 2020, 35 states introduced new legislation to tackle plastic pollution. A council on the West Coast has goals set by 2030 to pass new laws in all Western states to combat pollution and climate change.

I like how this article brought new ideas to light in how America is not efficiently combating climate change because of how each state is on their own individual path. I think there needs to be more unity it passing national laws banning single use plastics or even national carbon taxes on corporations emissions. I also learned a lot about the difference in plastic legislation in different states, and while some have strict laws to lessen plastic pollution, they produce less plastic. It is good to learn about opportunities in my own state to better contamination.