We the undersigned respectfully request that the city of Galveston join other Texas cities in banning the distribution of single-use plastic bags. Anyone that lives, works or is visiting Galveston, TX may sign. Single-use plastic bags represent one of the greatest environmental catastrophes of our time. It is estimated that 60-80% of all debris in the Gulf of Mexico is plastic. Plastics take hundreds of years to break down into smaller pieces and most types never truly biodegrade. As a result, marine animals often get entangled in the debris or mistake it for food causing severe damage that often leads to the death of dolphins, whales and endangered sea turtles. Around 100 billion petroleum-based plastic checkout bags are used each year in the United States, requiring an estimated 12 million barrels of oil each year. A ban on plastic bags would help preserve the integrity of our local ecosystems, reduce the burden on landfills, and cut back litter within our city streets, parks, drainage systems and beaches.