IELTS Agree Disagree Essay on Nature & Society & Government

Many people believe that plastic shopping bags, a major source of waste in many countries, are responsible for polluting our land and water, and should therefore be banned. I fully agree with this view and support a total ban on these harmful items.

My first point is that plastic bags are a major cause of water pollution. These non-degradable items often end up in bodies of water, harming marine life and disrupting the ecosystem. For example, sea creatures like turtles and dolphins often mistake these bags for food, which can be deadly, highlighting the urgent need for a ban.

Secondly, plastic bags significantly contribute to land pollution, cluttering our landscapes and cities. They take centuries to break down, which can lead to soil infertility and reduced agricultural productivity. A clear example is the city of Kano in Nigeria, where overuse of plastic bags has led to blocked drains and lower crop yields, further emphasizing the need for a ban.

Finally, making plastic bags uses up a lot of resources and speeds up the depletion of our natural resources. The process uses petroleum, a non-renewable resource, and releases harmful greenhouse gases, contributing to global warming. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency showed that the US alone uses about 12 million barrels of oil each year to make plastic bags, showing the environmental cost of their continued use.

In conclusion, I strongly support a total ban on plastic shopping bags because they significantly contribute to water and land pollution, and their production uses up a lot of resources. The dangers they pose to marine life, the soil infertility they cause in places like Kano, and the large amount of petroleum used in their production all provide strong evidence for the urgent need to get rid of these harmful items from our everyday lives.

There is a prevailing belief that plastic shopping bags, being the primary source of waste in numerous nations, are the culprits behind land and water pollution, thereby necessitating their prohibition. I wholeheartedly concur with this assertion, advocating for a complete ban on these environmentally detrimental items.

My first argument hinges on the undeniable fact that plastic bags contribute significantly to water pollution. These non-biodegradable items often find their way into water bodies, causing harm to aquatic life and disrupting the ecosystem. For instance, marine creatures such as turtles and dolphins often mistake these floating bags for food, leading to fatal consequences, thus underlining the urgent need for their ban.

Secondly, plastic bags are a major contributor to land pollution, littering our landscapes and cities. They take hundreds of years to decompose, thus leading to soil infertility and hindering agricultural productivity. A case in point is the city of Kano in Nigeria, where the excessive use of plastic bags has resulted in blocked drainage systems and reduced crop yields, further emphasizing the necessity of their prohibition.

Lastly, the production of plastic bags is a resource-intensive process that exacerbates the depletion of our natural resources. It involves the use of petroleum, a non-renewable resource, and releases harmful greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, thereby contributing to global warming. A study by the Environmental Protection Agency revealed that the United States alone uses approximately 12 million barrels of oil annually to produce plastic bags, highlighting the environmental cost of their continued use.

In conclusion, I staunchly support the complete ban on plastic shopping bags due to their significant contribution to water and land pollution, as well as the resource-intensive nature of their production. The examples of aquatic life endangerment, soil infertility in Kano, and the excessive use of petroleum in their production provide compelling evidence for the urgent need to eliminate these harmful items from our daily lives.