As passionate climate justice advocate, Mary Robinson, writes, “Those who had done least to cause the problem were carrying the greatest burden.” Currently, those countries with the fewest resources are experiencing the most harmful consequences of climate change, and it is, therefore, the responsibility of states like Connecticut to heal our long-exploited Earth. But it is not enough to talk about change, we need real reform right here in Connecticut. We need a ban on polystyrene foam products. Every year Americans throw away millions of foam cups and take-out containers made of polystyrene, an especially harmful plastic waste product that takes hundreds of years to decompose. This harmful plastic ends up in our oceans and rivers, killing the wildlife that is so vital to our ecosystems. Not to mention, the manufacture of polystyrene is a huge contributor to global warming. Connecticut must pave the way for other states to pass similar bans and to create change that can be felt worldwide. Ultimately, not only does this ban on polystyrene mean fewer greenhouse gases, less contamination in waterways, and healthier oceans and rivers, this ban means justice for those who are currently living amongst the deadliest effects of climate change.

Lexi Bortnick

Middletown