As a concerned citizen I urge the US government to support the campaign to ban plastic bags from grocery stores and other retailers and promote the use of durable reusable bags. Plastic bags are now consumed at an astounding rate of approximately 500 billion per year globally, or 1 million per minute. These plastic bags kill thousands of birds and marine wildlife every year, they litter our country, and their manufacture, transportation, and disposal release large amounts of carbon dioxide, contributing to global climate change. As a consumer I pledge to do my part by using a reusable bag whenever possible, but change must also come from within the government to tackle this growing environmental problem.