39 Who’s Minding the Planet? HEADLINE OCEAN & COASTAL For more on the EXO GO: YSI.com/EXOGO info@ysi.com +1 (888) 726-3194 EXO GO opens a portal between Windows mobile devices and submerged EXO sondes Making a Difference Plastic has become so commonplace in our society that it’s hard to imagine our world without it. It’s been common knowledge for decades that plastic isn’t biodegradable, but it’s only now that initiatives around the world are attempting to address the challenges with plastic and to reduce the amount of we use. Towns, cities, and even countries are taking steps to reduce the use of plastic: • California voters approved a referendum in 2016 to impose a statewide ban on single-use plastic bags • Long before that vote, according to an article in Scientific American magazine, San Jose, CA banned the use of plastic bags in 2012, resulting in: » A 59% reduction in plastic litter in their streets » An 89% reduction in plastic found in storm drains, and 60% in creeks » A noteworthy increase in consumer use of reusable shopping bags • France, Italy, and Rwanda are just a few of the countries to also ban plastic bag use, with many others around the world having taken or considering similar steps