As part of our Going Green initiative here at the library, we will no longer be purchasing plastic bags for distribution. Until our supply of new bags runs out, we will be simultaneously offering new bags and the option of re-using a bag from a bin at the Circulation Desk.
Though plastic bags are convenient, they also pose a major threat to the environment. With over 100 billion plastic bags being used and discarded in the United States every year, the effect on the environment is undeniable.
Here are some facts:
- In the United States, about 12 million barrels of oil and 14 million trees go to producing plastic and paper bags each year.
- It can take a plastic bag up to 1,000 years to decompose.
- China, Ireland, Uganda, San Francisco, and parts of Australia have already banned plastic bag production and/or distribution.
- Plastic bags pose a threat to marine and wildlife, clogging sewers, entangling birds, and getting swallowed by whales and other wildlife.
Here at the Westerville Public Library, we take our role as community leader and steward of the environment seriously. Our previous green efforts have included implementing paper recycling, offering cell phone & printer cartridge recycling to patrons, switching to environmentally friendly cleaning supplies, and installing energy efficient light bulbs.
For more information on going green, check out these resources!
Please note: We will not be accepting donations of plastic bags for reuse or recycling. But feel free to BYOB: Bring your own bag!
Thank you for helping us make a difference in our environment!
Don W. Barlow/Executive Director
The library is one of the first places I’d have thought green initiatives would be implemented.
Thank you for your comment! We have been re-cycling for many years, everything from paper, ink cartridges, old eyeglasses, cellphones, cans, bottles, etc. Every little bit helps!