The power of plastic companies

I recently received an email from Environment California (an environmental group with the purpose of protecting our environment in California through education and political action) that stated that “California’s new environmental curriculum include a section on ‘The Advantages of Plastic Shopping Bags.'” With all of the research and talk about banning plastic bags, it’s not secret that plastic bags are hazardous to the environment and our personal health, but also that the industry will not stand quietly as we limit their rights to make money off of such environmental degradation.

What is the most shocking to me is that school officials believe they should include things in their textbooks that were “almost verbatim from letters written by the chemistry council.” The American Chemistry Council spent millions to defeat the statewide ban on plastic bags last year because they represent the plastic manufacturing companies that would have to alter their business practices in order to make money if plastic bags were banned.

This kind of blatant control over what we learn and see in the media frustrate me immensly. More than ever in our society today it is money that talks.

Check back tomorrow for my post on the truth about plastic and why we need to stand up to these manufacturers.