This past July, France made history by banning plastic bags. More specifically, "common plastic bags" were banned: ones that are smaller than ten liters and under 50 microns thick. Basically, France will no longer be using the average grocery bag. The common plastic bag is used for only 20 minutes and takes 400 years to degrade naturally. With statistics like this, the only surprise is that other countries have not yet taken the initiative to ban these bags as well.

France also plans to ban plastic meat and produce bags January 1, 2017.

Fast forward to September, and France just became the first country to ban plastic cutlery, plates, cups, and bowls. These changes are to go into effect in 2020. Plastic cutlery will no longer be made from petroleum based materials, but from biologically based materials. It will be required to be made from 50% biologically sourced materials.

Both of these changes result from the Energy Transition for Green Growth Act.

President Hollande wants France to be "an exemplary nation in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, diversifying its energy model and increasing the deployment of renewable energy sources.”

As expected, these changes are opposed by manufacturers of plastic products as well as those that will be affected by the increased cost of alternative cutlery and dishes. Manufacturers have argued that this violates the European Union commerce regulations that protect manufacturers. Although alternative materials are more expensive, these are necessary changes to be made to further protect the Earth.

Plastic is an undesirable material because it breaks into smaller and smaller pieces, which then pose a threat to wildlife. Noticeable changes have been traced in the fish that we eat, that have consumed small pieces of plastic. Even if people do not recognize the environmental harms that plastics cause, the effect on us through consumption should spark peoples' interest.

Alternatives to the typical plastic cutlery include compostable plastics, wood, edible silverware made from rice, millet, and wheat, and also bagasse which is a sugar cane fiber pulp.

France is leading the way; now we must wait for the rest of the world to follow suit and make the environment, our shared home, a priority.