“Bag ban bad for freedoms and environment” by Adam B.

Summers build an argument

about the banning of plastic bags at grocery stores. The author employs valid claims and provide

solid evidence at the same time in order to convince the readers that plastic bags should not be

banned.

Adam B. Summers states a truth hard fact that "... plastic bags, sacks, and wraps of all

kinds (not just grocery bags) make up only about 1.6 percent of all municipal solid waste

materials. High-density polyethylene (HDPE) bags, which are the most common kind of plastic

grocery bags, make up just 0.3 percent of this total.” As people would have thought about this

topic, the number should have been way higher. It made an powerful impact on the readers due

to the gap between expectation and reality. Since his claim is back up with reliable sources, it

will be easier to persuade the readers.

He continue to add more to his argument by counter the idea that plastic bags are worse

for the environment than paper or cotton bag, saying those claims “are dubious at best.” Since

these reusable and cotton bag can lead to a rise in health problems such as good contamination,

the readers will doubt the benefit of reusable bag and turn more to his side. Not only statistic,

Summers also provide events and facts such as the rise of price in Ireland or the fact that “San

Francisco’s plastic bag ban in 2007 resulted in a subsequent spike in hospital emergency room

visits due to E. Coli, salmonella,...”.

He also bring in more claims to his side of argument. Such as the banning of plastic bag

in grocery can lead to more plastic bag be bought for other reasons such as “linning trash bins or

picking up after their dogs.” Finally, Summers states that the banning of plastic will lead to

approximately “2,000 California jobs in the plastic bag manufacturing and recycling industry”

being threaten. By emphasizing this point, the author is not only create empathy among us but
also to other people since not only plastic bags are better economically, but they also created jobs

for many more people.

By utilizing credible sources Summers is capable of extremely persuasive. His side of

argument is supported by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, University of Pennsylvania

law professor Jonathan Klick, George Mason University law professor, … As a result, Summers

become more persuasive for the readers, considering the information given holding so much

credit.

In the article “Bag ban bad for freedoms and environment”, Summer has persuaded the

readers that plastic bags are in fact way less harmful than what we expected, while also proving

for the readers that reusable and cotton might be even more damaging to our life and nature more

than plastic bags.