Prevent Leatherback Turtles from Choking on Plastic Bags

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Prevent Leatherbacks from Choking on Plastic Bags

Urge California to Reduce Plastic Bag Use

Posted September 15, 2006 by Californians Against Waste

 

Background

California retailers distribute more than 19 billion plastic grocery bags

annually, less than 5% of which are currently recycled. Assembly Bill 2449

will provide California consumers with the information and opportunity to

reduce bag generation with reusable bags, while establishing a convenient

network of more than 7000 locations for bag recycling.

 

AB 2449 will benefit endangered leatherback sea turtles by reducing plastic

bag waste in the ocean.

 

Leatherback numbers in the Pacific have declined 95% in the past 20 years

and scientists predict that unless we reverse this decline (especially from

their death and drowning in gillnet and longline fisheries, both of which

are poised to expand off the California coast) this species will become

extinct within 10-30 years in the Pacific.

 

Right now, these amazing creatures (which grow to the size of a VW Beetle)

are off the coast of California having swum across the Pacific from their

nesting beaches in Indonesia and the Western Pacific to eat jellyfish, their

main food source. Unfortunately, turtles often mistake plastic bags for

jellyfish and will eat them. Ingesting plastic bags can obstruct the gut,

lead to absorption of toxins and reduce the absorption of nutrients from

their real food. Many turtles washed up dead along our coasts have ingested

plastic bags.

 

What You Can Do!

Send an email to Governor Schwarzenegger urging him to sign AB 2449.

http://www.seaturtles.org/actionalertdetails.cfm?actionAlertID=117