Across Massachusetts, 61 communities including Boston have enacted plastic bag bans, and the City of Revere is on track to join them as number 62. City Council members Steve Morabito and Patrick Keefe have put forward a motion that will go before the public on Feb. 26.
When considering litter throughout America, one item stands out as particularly pervasive: the plastic shopping bag found at checkout counters in stores nationwide.
These bags drift through our oceans, tangle in trees and vegetation, and scatter across landscapes like modern tumbleweeds carried by the wind. Few places remain untouched by their presence.
Given the environmental harm they create, there is little justification for their continued use, and we commend Massachusetts communities taking action to eliminate them.
This effort demonstrates a principle we recognize as vital: environmental protection requires grassroots commitment.
Individual choices and community initiatives can drive meaningful change, and banning plastic bags represents significant progress toward that goal.
Perhaps Everett officials might look to become number 63.