In his 2019 budget, Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) proposed new legislation related to plastic ban reform to expand the 5 cent bottle deposit to other types of containers, including sports drinks and energy drinks. He has also proposed a ban on single-use plastic bags in New York state.

Not only will these proposals help reduce single-use plastic waste, but they may also reduce greenhouse gas emissions that inevitably come with the production of plastics.

But, 5 cents is just a start. We need to stop using plastics ourselves and encourage peers to do the same.

In 2018, there was a push to stop using plastic straws across the United States. As the campaign drew supporters, people started to ditch the straws.

Perhaps, we should be focusing less on the dollar amount of using plastics, and more on that of social-acceptability. Encourage other students to ditch disposable plastic bottles by using reusable plastic bottles, yourself.

And peer pressure isn’t unique to people living in New York. Cuomo’s single-use plastic bag ban idea, and 5 cent bottle proposal, could influence other states to draft similar legislation.

“There may be a spill over into other states, particularly those in the Northeast that look to NY for leadership,” said Sherburne Abbott, a Syracuse University professor of geography, in an email. “Yes, I believe it will be successful in reducing single-use plastic waste and improve public awareness of the problem.

“The question is, and this would require some research, is what strategy works best — a stepped reduction (introducing a charge first, followed by ban) or all-out ban.”

Washington, D.C. was the first major city to introduce a charge on disposable paper and plastic bags, in 2010. That ban also included a 5 cent surcharge.

“Apparently the culture of DC wasn’t as hard wired to plastics as everyone thought — most people did bring in their own bags to supermarkets and stores,” Abbott said, though. “ I don’t believe the data showed that 5 cents was the threshold but rather public pressure was the far more important variable.”

The time to pressure politicians on environmental change and legislation is now. Cuomo’s proposals are promising, but there’s much work to be done.

Emily Cerrito is a sophomore television, radio and film major. Her column appears bi-weekly. You can reach her at ercerrit@syr.edu.

Published on February 5, 2019 at 7:42 pm