Practice your Essay Writing with March Question

Hi guys,

Below is an IELTS essay question which was used this month, March 3rd, in writing task 2. The essay question below is one of a few questions that were used on March, 3rd. You can see other essay questions from March 3rd on my Recent Exam Questions page.

Post your essay by writing it in the comments box below. This is a chance for you to compare your essay with other students. This is not an offer of free marking – it is a chance for you to practise and compare. I’ll post a model answer tomorrow.

IELTS Essay Question March 2018

In many countries plastic shopping bags  are the main source of rubbish, causing pollution on land and in the water, so people think they should be banned. To what extent do you agree or disagree?

I will post a model answer tomorrow.

All the best

Liz

 

Comments

  1. Hi! Sony is here
    The problem of pollution is a thaught provking issue and main reason behind pollution is plastic bags , many people believe that these bags should completely prohibited . I completely agree with this statement.

    • Niharika says

      Plastic shopping bags are considered to be a major contributor to a drastic rise in sea and land pollution. Some argue that plastic bags should be banned to preserve the environment. From my perspective, we should avoid them as they are a severe threat to the ecosystem.

      Excessive usage of plastic bags is a significant reason for ever-increasing land pollution. People use it and throw away in a reckless manner which leads to infertile soil. In other words, plastics bags are non-biodegradable in nature and takes time to be broken by the soil thereby making it less fertile. For instance, only 45% of the land in India is suitable for agriculture. Despite this, if we don’t stop utilizing plastic bags, it will lead to further soil degradation.

      Not only to the land, but they cause serious destruction to the sea as well. Plastic bags get drowned in the sea due to high winds or thrown in the water-bodies in the form of unmanaged waste. It disturbs aquatic life such as fishes and underwater plants. Moreover, when these life-threatening plastic bags are consumed by fishes leads to their instant death. A recent study has revealed that multiple species of fish have become extinct due to a spike in sea pollution level.

      In conclusion, there is ample evidence in my mind that the government should prohibit the use of plastic bags as it consequently leads to a rise in land and sea contamination. Rather using them, we should encourage people to start carrying a cloth or jute bag for shopping. By doing the right action we will choose to be a part of the solution.

  2. Ruben says

    Pollution is one of the major problem wordwide both land and water. The usage of plastic bags is the main culprit of this issue and some believe that this should be prohibited. The writer strongly believe that plastic products can severely harbor more harmful effects towards the surroundings. This essay will discuss and support why banning this product is essential for a healthy mother earth.

  3. Dear Liz,
    I pray for your quick recovery. God bless you more

  4. Sherry says

    Nowadays, there are a huge amount of used plastic bags dumped in the oceans and land damaging our planet. Some people argur that the only solution to this problem is by banning the usage of plastic bags. I totally agree that the only way to save our planet is to totally stop using plastic bags.

  5. Dim Micheal says

    Plastic bags made of polyethylene have become normal household items because of its versatility. They have varied uses and are very convenient to use, this makes people prefer them to other types of bags. They are mostly used in shopping malls, frozen food shops, clothing shops and so on.
    Because of their chemical component and strenght, plastic bags do not disintegrate with age or over time, and they cannot be broken down either by microbes or human activities. Adding their seeming indestructibility to their popularity, plastic bags have become a sort of nuisance to the world. They constitute a greater percentage of litter or rubbish, overflow from sewage into the sea, and are carried int the ocean where they constitute health hazards to sea creatures. On land, they clog sewage, leading to damming of dirty water and multiplication of disease causing organisms.
    Due to the negative consequences of our misuse of plastic bags, people are advocating for a total ban on the use of plastic bags. I don’t quite agree with a total ban on plastic bags. This is because there are other ways to make them less obtrusive.
    Firstly, people should be taught a responsible way of using , reusing and eventually disposing of plastic bags. If this is achievable, I believe that such bags can be recycled and reused again, making it unnecessary for more plastic bags to be released into the circulation. This is an approach already in use.
    Secondly, people can be rewarded for returning used plastic bags. It is a policy that has worked for recycling of glass bottles, where people are rewarded with shopping vouchers and coupons for every bottle returned.
    Furthermore, plastic bags can be replaced with bags made from other biodegradable materials, including paper. Plastic bags can also be made with a mixture of chemicals which are biodegradable over a few years, This is to ensure that such a valuable product is not removed from circulation due to man’s irresponsibility.

  6. Funmi Adeniyi says

    Man made pollution can occur from various sources and the methods of disposing plastic bags have been observed to contribute significantly to land and water pollution. In view of this, some people believe that these shopping bags should be banned. In my opinion, i think plastic bags are very useful in the transportation of items from the malls or markets and in view of their significant utility these bags can be recycled more efficiently instead of being banned from use in the society.

    First of all, the use of plastic bags to transport items during shopping has been found to be very convenient as these bags contribute little or no additional weight to the items that are being carried at any point in time. The bags are makes it easy to carry several items such as groceries toiletries and clothes from the shop to the house. Some plastic bags are also made for packing purposes, namely packaging of frozen foods( meat, fish, chicken), diapers, sanitary pads,while some are used as dust bin bags. Thus, the utility of these bags are almost invaluable in the daily activities of life.

    However, these bags have been noticed to contribute significantly to rubbish in many environments. The reason for this may result from the frequent use of these bags as outlined earlier, but moreso, the methods of disposal of the bags. If these bags are left on the streets as may occur in some countries, they contribute to the litter on the streets making the environment unclean and dirty. The sheer volume of the waste bags, sometimes makes it difficult to rid of these bags in some homes and communities. In some instances, these bags are thrown int o the gutter which drain water and their presence in these drains can block the drains and impede the free flow of waste water in the environment. Water pollution is also enhanced when bags are poured into water spaces and may endanger the lives of the fishes and other species living in the water.

    Nevertheless, despite the problems that plastic bags may cause, they do not need to be banned but the solution may be to ensure proper reuse and recycling of these bags. The need for adequate and regular clearing of all waste including plastic bags from homes should be done more efficiently such that a lot of littering of the environment can be avoided.
    Agents who take care of rubbish should be enforced to do their jobs and many families should also be enforced both monetary wise and legally to get rid of rubbish in the homes and environment. Appropraite recycling techniques employed at home and the work place can help to get rid of this source of rubbish in the environment.

    In conclusion, plastic bags have a great utility which may be difficult to replace and rather than ban their use , appropraite recycling methods should be employed in their disposal.

  7. Nabeel Ahmed says

    The world which has become a global village and each of our habits and objects we use in our day to day life has become a reason of environmental pollution to a large extent. One such object is the plastic bags which sometimes seems like an essential part of our lives especially in sub continental countries like India, Pakistan or Bangladesh.

    Plastic bags are commonly used from super stores to the street hawkers we can find the bags in all shades and colors. We can even find them flying in our polluted haze sky or wrapping around the electric power cables and wires around our streets and lanes.

    In my humble opinion plastic bags should no longer be available to use. The usage of plastic bags has not only made environment polluted for us (humans). But, also for the living things living under water or other cattle.

    In Pakistan, province of Sindh which has rare breed of blind Dolphin at the bank of Indus River has gone really effected by the usage of plastic bags that has been thrown in the river after having snacks by the visitors at river or carrying other stuff in it. These bags has often cause the death of this mammal by choking their air pipes. Similarly, these bags are making farm lands infertile as they get buried under fertile land. As, recycling life of plastic bags require million of years many organizations are often dumping in lands and burning it.

    Burning of the plastic bags cause harmful gas contigious not only to human being but also to the birds which are falling pray to these toxic gases in air or getting wrapper by the flying bags in form of make shift kites as well.

    To keep the earth green and a sustainable place for human decision makers around the world needs to banned these plastics and make it a better place for us by keeping it clean and green.

  8. dorji says

    Many people in the world felt shopping plastics bags are innermost cause of pollution either on land or water and thus suggested to stop using of it. which i also strong agree because of the following reason why.

    Plastic are non-renewable. it will last for million and million years to get into decompose naturally whether plastic are kept under ground or on the open ground.Thus, using more and more plastic will increase additional waste beside unable to decompose of already thrown waste.Even scientist has proven about the lasting of getting plastic to decompose. Therefore, we should discourage all other people in the world for using plastic in any cost.

    Furthermore, it is harmful in the air pollution even if burn it. It is not only bad for our air to breath as it content carbon mono oxide but it will affect atmosphere zone as well. once manufacture of plastic are neither can be burn nor can be deposit or throw in open place. They are very dangerous to us. Many researcher has proven that the burning of many plastic in the world has affected the atmosphere and has become ozone layer thinner. Thus, we must be aware of using plastic henceforth which will benefit to all the sentient being including animal and entire universal as a whole.

    In conclusion, we find much more defect than the helpfulness of using plastic bags for either shopping or self usage. Thus, i strong agree with the statement of banning plastic bag because of disadvantages outweigh the advantages.

  9. Medhat says

    Dear Liz
    Wish you very soon full recovery, you mean a lot for us.

  10. Emmanuel Ackah says

    Human activities is the main cause of pollution in most countries. Many countries are facing pollution through human the activities of the people. This essay will discuss why rubber bags should be completely banned.

    It is undeniable fact that rubber bags helps buyers across the world in carrying their goods when they go for shopping. This makes it easy for them to be able to move freely and so do not need to carry heavy bags on them when going for shopping. For instance, some countries use rubber bags to sell food like rice. In addition to this it also serves as income to many that collect the waste for recycling. For that reason many thinks that it is inappropriate to ban rubber shopping bags completely.

    The fact that rubber helps many people in several ways, the harm that it causes supersedes the advantages that it brings to the society. pollution due to the rubber bags have been a great burden to many countries across the globe, many people throw the used rubber bags into gutters and in the streets and this brings a lot of infectious diseases and other health complications. For example, many countries experience endemic diseases such as malaria, cholera due to choked gutters, it also causes flood that most countries have experienced. For that matter I agree that the use of rubber shopping bags should be banned entirely.

    In conclusion, although rubber bags bags have a handful of advantages, the effect that it brings afterwards is much bigger than what is expected and therefore banning it completely will be acceptable.

  11. Lot of people believe that plastic shopping bags are the major reason of environmental degradation, therefore we must stop using them. In my opinion I am ultimately agree with it for a number of evidences.
    According to a global survey in 2017, approximately 100.000 species of seabirds and marine mammals were killed annually by plastic rubbish dumped into the oceans. In addition, this main kind of garbage can damage animal’s intestine due to they feed on them. Further the food chains may be interupted because of the disappearance of some small animals.
    On the other hand, plastic bags take over 100 years to decompose. That is about 1000 times longer than that a paper. During this period of time, plastic bags need a space into soil or in the water instead of tree roots or aquatic animals. It means that our ecosystem has destroyed day by day.
    In conclusion, I strongly think that the goverment should promalgate a law to decrease the proportion of using plastic shopping bags in daily life. The sooner we take action, the more advangtages for the future we gain.

  12. Many countries are considering plastic shopping bags a major source of rubbish, posing environmental pollution and as thus, should be banned. While it remain obvious that this rubbish constitute environmental nuisance which in itself is man-made, I want to disagree with its ban due to its overriding benefits.

    A ban on use of plastic shopping bag would in my opinion, would pose a great financial damage to companies producing these bags. Such companies might wind up and retrench workers and by virtue, upsetting an existing saturated unemployed population.

    The durability, simplicity, usefulness and low production cost of plastic bags have no equal. The comfort associated with the use of these bags in transporting wide array of purchased items is equally incomparable. While most shops give it out freely because it’s cheap, it’s cost is relatively bearable when people are compelled to buy it. These benefits in my point of view outweighs the acclaimed havoc it’s improper disposal could herald.

    In lieu of banning plastic bags, research effort should rather be geared into their production, to enhance degradability. Additionally, conscious efforts should be made by individuals to dispose used bags appropriately. Governments should make and enforce laws controlling disposals of these bags. Entrepreneurs should be encouraged to venture into plastic recycling business.

  13. In more and more countries, lands and waters are being polluted due to disposing of a lot of plastic shopping bags into them. Although I agree that plastic bags used for carrying purchased items certainly ought to be abandoned, I think they cannot be completely banned for some reasons.

    Firstly, one main reason why banning use of plastic bags is necessary is that most of the plastic bags produced are aimed at easing transportation of purchased items which all will immediately be made redundant. This currently makes majority of the plastic rubbish, because a typical household in both developing and developed countries go shopping almost everyday while they receive one or more plastic bags merely to help them carry what they have purchased. Such a large amount of rubbish could have been prevented if people chose to carry reusable shopping bags, instead. Secondly, plastic bags eventually become a nuisance as they easily spread by wind around the cities as well as nature creating unsightly views along with environmental pollution. Therefore, abandoning their use would reduce such harmful impacts.

    On the other hand, however, in some cases using plastic bags is inevitable for the hygiene of the items purchased. Take for example, meat or local pickles at the supermarket or medicine at the drugstore, the process of hygienic transportation and subsequent preservation of them by the end of their consumption is so important that regardless of environmental consequences of plastic, using of an impenetrable plastic bag makes an irreplaceable choice. Furthermore, the cost of these bags is almost nothing compared to other forms of packaging and thus is the most economical choice.

    In conclusion, in my opinion, whether or not needing to ban plastic shopping bags depends on the importance and length of their use. I think plastic transportation shopping bags certainly should be abandoned, however, they need to be allowed in items requiring hygienic preservation.

  14. Environmental pollution is a burning question all over the world and plastic is one of the major causes of this issue. But only banning the plastic shopping bags is not the solution, rather proper use, disposal and recycling should be emphasized in my opinion.

    Day to day life without plastic is quite impossible today, while shopping bags are constituing a little portion. Other than shopping bags, there are variety of use of plastic and even in some cases it is the only choice till now, like for proper preservation of food items. It is also a better cheap substitute of paper, metals, wood, leather etc., which might directly be more devastating for environment and ecosystem.

    So, plastic bags are not the main problem, rather improper use and disposal of plastic is the problem. Throwing used plastics here and there making the nuisance, dumping on land is eroding the upper humous layer of soil, making it unfertile for plants and microbes. Disposal in river and sea water causes massive pollution and herms the aquatic ecosystem resulting in varios aquatic species of plants and animals to be extinct. Moreover, the water becomes unusable and harmful for human also.

    Banning the plastic bags may sound good but it is not the final solution. In my experience, though it is banned in Bangladesh since 2002, it is being used widely here due to lack of suitable substitute. The governments of states should take appropriate measure to make the people learned about proper use and disposal of plastic. Reuse and recycling may be a great solution in this regard.

    • Ramjan says

      Hi Rafi, your essay is mind blowing. i am not an expert but i enjoyed it. i will give you 9 for it. But not sure in agree or disagree questionnaire you can go for neutral.

  15. Hi Liz, Thanks alot for your discount offer. I have subscribed all your advanced writing lessons, and indeed, they are extremely helpful. This is my first attempt after watching your lesson. I hope, I will do much improvement untill my ielts exam.
    It’s a very humble request can you please start correction service also? I trust you completely and can’t go anywhere else for my essay markings. Please do consider.

    • Sorry. I’ve been really sick for the last two years and I only have strength to run this website. Hopefully in the future, when I’m better, I’ll offer more services.

  16. Priyanka says

    Plastic bags are considered to be the major source of garbage which causes soil and water contamination so people believe that it’s usage should be prohibited completely. In my opinion, I agree that polythene bags ought to be banned as these are highly detrimental to the life of animals and humans.

    A good reason to forbid usance of plastic bags is that it causes death of living organisms both on land and in water. At present, each year more and more plastic bags are ending up littering the environment. Once they become litter, plastic bags find their way into our oceans, beaches, parks and streets where animals such as dolphins, whales and cows ingest these bags, mistaking them for food, and therefore, die. Thus, prohibiting plastic bags can save these innocent lives.

    Another point to consider for banning the use of plastic bags is it’s non- biodegradable nature. In other words, it takes thousands of years to decompose these grocery bags which makes the soil infertile. Also, if they are burned, they infuse the air with toxic fumes. A recent study, for instance, states that in developing countries burning of plastic bags is the major reason behind the alarming increase of air pollution level in these countries leading to people suffering from chronic diseases.

    In conclusion, banning the plastic bags is a must in order to safeguard humans and wildlife on earth.

    • Amitoj Singh says

      Actually you have written wonderful essay, hard to find any error, it seems alike 8 to 8.5 band essay, good try 🙂

  17. Shopping bags became so popular in many cities all over the world so as the general belief of increasing contamination to food and water that they produce, people consider banning of plastic bags is one of the important solutions. In my opinion, I agree that plastic bags are dangerous to the environment and total ban on their production is an important step.

    A good reason to ban shopping plastic bags is to maintain health to human and other living species. The primary materials, which the plastic bags are produced, are approved to be highly toxic and even carcinogenic. Polyethylene, for example, is one of the basic material that used in the manufacturer of plastic, which have Carbone in their main structure, and recently discovered to be highly toxic to human and even to plants. the high amount of plastic waste reached a warning level to a wide range of living habituate.

    Another point to consider is that total banning of plastic bags is the only successful solution. Partial solutions will not limit the increasing danger to the environment. For example, putting a small fee on plastic bags by some supermarkets to minimize the amount of bags’ waste will not limit the consumers from buying plastic bags or even encourage them to use recyclable bags. In my country, a recent statistic showed in the last five years when a small charge was put on plastic bags, the production of these bags increased by 200 percent.

    Finally, the total ban on plastic bags will promote other alternatives. Plastic bags are cheap to produce, light to carry on and easy to handle, so their availability will prevent other choices, paper bags, for example. Plastic bag’s factories use these properties to make good profits, only when new legislation for totally banning their production will lead to taking more difficult steps.

    In conclusion, shopping plastic bags are increasing and consequently their wast which approved to be harmful, I agree with the absolute banning of their production.

  18. Sushma Vikas says

    Hi
    Please review my essay,I am not that much good in English. Expect a valuable feedback.

    Exactly, plastic bags are the main reason for the population.Now a days there is no pace to dispose the waste. The main problem is that the plastic will not easily decay.

    In olden days , the plastic bags are used by the Textile Industry. Also the house hold items were packed in paper.Due to shortage of trees ,it has been stopped now.Even the small scale shops use plastic cover.Now due to the emergence of fast growing world plastic has become a major thing.while travelling we could see that lots of waste has thrown un-easily in streets. This should not be done. We living in an advanced world should adopt techniques to decay or use this a bio degradable compost. some of them throw the waste in water.It will pollute the water and led to the extinction of the sea creatures. one of the hurricane Okhie which hit India and some of the parts ( i do not know the exact spelling), caused severe damage to the all.I do not know the exact place,that, due to okhie effect the plastic waste from the sea has thrown to the shore.So from this we could realize that even the sea dose not want the harm the sea life.

    The usage of plastic should be reduced. Its the duty of the government to provide the assistance to the small scale industries to produce paper bags.I know its not a wise decision in the sense that it will lead to cutting the trees.It will again result in trees extinction.In addition to this , the trees to be planted.so it will benefit in two ways such as soil erosion, climate changes can be reduced. While we shop, we will not take home the plastic covers.

    To conclude, i would say that the usage should be reduced, because it is becoming a major problem to the world. we have to adopt method either to eliminate or recycle this plastic waste.

  19. Manju says

    Many people believe that plastic bags usage ought to be totally prohibited because they are the major contributors to land and water pollution on earth. In my opinion, I agree that plastic brings only bring hazards to our environment, as it not only pollutes land and water but also poses a serious threat to the animals dwelling in these ecosystems.

    The most important reason for forbidding plastic is that it is non-biodegradable. It stays there forever in the place where it is dumped .People tend to use plastic bags for shopping and then throw it in the garbage. When this garbage is disposed of, only plastic is left behind in the land as it cannot be destroyed. When in excess,it makes the land unfertile and turns it barren for further agriculture use. Also, it is a serious threat to living animal species. It can damage animals’ airways and may lead to their death if swollen accidentally or mistakenly by them.

    Additionally, plastic had pernicious effects on marine ecosystem too. When major industries dump their plastic trash into big oceans and seas, it stays there forever making water polluted. Thus, it leads to scarcity of safe drinking water. Moreover, it is hazardous for marine species also for the same reasons of choking hazards and death.

    One final reason to forbid plastic usage is that it brings air pollution too. Not only plastic manufacturing units but also plastic disposal units release toxic fumes into the air while producing and disposing of plastic. It makes the air polluted with noxious gases leading to many respiratory diseases in humans.

    In conclusion, the government should take stringent actions and make strict rules to ban plastic use if we wish to save our mother earth from the harmful effects of plastic.

  20. Priyanka says

    World over plastic bags contribute to major part of the waste disposed and cause pollution. both on land and in the water. I agree that prohibition on their usage would be an essential step towards saving the environment.

    Plastic takes millions of years to decompose and till that time remains on our planet contributing to the environmental devastation.Plastic is non-biodegradable and when the plastic waste is burnt, it emits toxic gases in the air causing massive air pollution.

    Similarly, when the plastic bags enter the various sources of water, these cause pollution and choke the living creatures to death. In the cities, one of the main causes of water logging is the plastic waste. This has a cascading effect, as water logging leads to spread of epidemic due to stagnated water.

    Accordingly, plastic bags are a nuisance in our surrounding. In the households, plastic bags are used to store or collect groceries. This should be replaced with paper bags. This is an environment friendly alternate. Paper is biodegradable and so paper waste does not cause any pollution. However, it is obtained by cutting trees. Hence, recycled paper should be used to manufacture the bags. People need to be made aware of the ill effects of using plastic bags. Towards this, governments world over should organise programmes to make their citizens aware and responsible.

    To conclude, banning the usage of plastic bags will have a long term positive impact on our environment and in preserving the beauty of our planet for posterity.

  21. Wolfgang Vieira da Mota says

    It is known that plastic shopping bags are responsible for the major proportion of rubbish in many nations, leading to pollution on land and in water reservatories. Some people think that plastic bags ought to be prohibited, and I completely agree. Some measures should be taken by the government and stores to tackle this problem.

    Firstly, the government should encourage people to avoid using plastic bags while shopping. This could be taught at schools to the adolescents, clarifying them about the danger that can be caused by this item. Secondly, a law to abolish plastic bags at supermarkets, for example, could be created to minimise this issue. Nowadays, it can be seen that many stores charge an insignificant fee if you ask for a bag. In my opinion, if this fee was higher, fewer people would buy it. Thirdly, everything we buy these days comes with a plastic bag, therefore, it is a serious concern that ought to be discussed with authorities.

    Another reason to ban plastic bags on our daily lives is that they can lead to pollution and serious environmental problems. For example, river and sea might be polluted by them, affecting our ecosystem. Furthermore, when plastic bags are introduced on land and in the water animals can eat it, thus, causing many health problems. It is vital to prohibit plastic bags for a great homeostasis between our live species. Moreover, the world is suffering a lot already with global warming and higher temperatures so this can increase even more the hazard to our nature.

    In conclusion, some people believe that plastic bags should be banned and I totally agree. Abolishing plastic bags while shopping and establishing a law for that is necessary to minimise our environmental issues.

  22. Vimal Kamothi says

    Some people believe that the usage of plastic shopping bags should be banned in many countries as this is the main source of waste material and generates land as well as water pollution. In my opinion, I agree that the plastic shopping bags ought to be ban as it threatens the life of animals and marine species.

    The main reason to abolish the usage of plastic shopping bags is to save animals which are part of our ecosystem. At present, most people prefers the plastic bags for their shopping instead of recycle and reusable bags and throw away the same as garbage. Plastic bags are not biodegradable and thus where it lands, it tend to stay for long period of time. As a result, the land litter is made up of plastic bags has the potential to kill one animal per every three months due to unintentional digestion or inhalation. Therefore, banning plastic bags results in less land garbage and saving animals on the earth.

    Another point to get rid of the plastic bags is to save marine species. For instance, many countries dump the plastic garbage into sea or waterways and therefore an estimated 300 million plastic bags end up in the Atlantic Ocean alone. These bags are very dangerous for sea life as the marine species easily mistake them as food and finds its airway is cut off. As a result, a number of deaths from plastics bags increasing every year. Hence, abolishing plastic bags saves sea life.

    In conclusion, banning the usage of plastic bags is the need of the day to preserve animals on the planet and marine species.

  23. Most people argue that shoppers bags made of polymer are the major sources of trash in most nations and should be outlawed. This essay strongly agrees with the statement,because rubbers are non-degradable materials in soil and can be very harmful to marine life.

    Firstly, bags made of plastic materials are non-degradable. What this means is that, if the refuse disposal system of a particular country is void of proper recycling,the tendency is that these materials may find their way into the soil. Some, nations usually have dumping sites for dumping rubbish. Over time, these refuse becomes very huge, it now create a major challenge to cover under the soil. Whereas, non plastic materials can easily decompose, these polythene will remain not degraded for many years.

    Furthermore, it can also affect marine life because many developing nations do not observe proper waste disposal practices. Many house owners do not provide adequate garbage system, hence most persons dump their rubbish in open drains. When it rains, these materials are carried by running water into lakes, rivers and seas. Fishes and other aquatic life feeds on these materials,which often result in high fatality. For instance, a recent survey, shows a sharp increase of over 50% increase of deaths caused by water pollution from plastic materials.

    In conclusion, the use of polythene bags by shoppers should be proscribed, because it cannot be decomposed by the soil and can be very hazardous to sea creatures.

  24. Egbuniwe says

    Thanks

  25. Ijeje says

    Pollution can be defined as the presence of contaminants in the environment either in the air, land or water ways. Quite a number of countries are faced with the challenge of effectively disposing refuse in such a way that pollution is reduced to the barest minimum.

    The fact that plastic shopping bags are a source of refuse accumulation is non-debateable. However, to label them as the major source of land and water pollution is quite drastic.

    The role of these bags cannot be over emphasized. They remain a vital, neat and presentable means of conveying items purchased from the point of sale to its final destination. Even at home these bags can be used for repackaging and storage.

    Disposal of the used plastic bags must be closely monitored to prevent pollution. This can be achieved by putting certain measures in place with regards to its disposal. Since they are non-biodegradeable, it is important that they are not just tossed into the environment after use as this would result in pollution . Rather, they can be disposed by incineration or better still they could be recycled.

    The Federal Government can also place a ban on indiscriminate disposal of these bags with a fine if defaulters are caught. This would deter inappropriate dumping of the bags in areas that could result in pollution.

    I strongly disagree that they are a major source of pollution because with the appropriate measures these bags can be effectively used and disposed without harm to the environment.

  26. Alisha Aneja says

    Hi Liz, Your tips are very useful. I just gave my IELTS on 3rd March in New Delhi, India. My exam went well. Thank you for the tips. In my writing skill part 2. The essay was on: whether spending too much on tickets for sports or cultural events, is good or bad..

  27. Ameet Lohano says

    It is true that polythene shoppers are severely detorating our environment including agricultural soil and water quality. I completely agree that it should be prohibited when shopping or using for other purposes.

    Nowadays the use of plastic bags has been increased in some countries for shopping and as well as for different kind of packaging of various products. This is because of plastic bags are easily and cheaply available in markets. Ultimately, this kind of practice degrading our environment because the plastic bags are not recyclable materials. Moreover, it has been thrown directly to outside for incineration with other waste materials and resulting the pollution. It is also the main source for contributing chlorofluorocarbons gasess when burnt with other waste materials and this may cause the air pollution.

    On an other hand, the accumulation of plastic bags after using people are not treating it properly. Owing to this reason, the waste is being generated and casusing the soil erosion. Due to soil erosion the agricultural land become unproductive for cultivation. In addition, the plastic bags are spoiling our surface water quality which may lead to some major disease for human health as well as other living organisms.

    In conclusion, to overcome the dilemma, using plastic bags waste should be stopped immediately because it is polluting our environment for land as well as for water resources.

  28. I did that question on tgat day.waiting for results.Thanks for your lessons Liz they were of great help.

  29. Destiny says

    It is believed in many nations of the world that plastic shopping bags are the major pollutants seen around in the environment and even on water bodies. Some people think that these bags should be put out of use. In my opinion, i think that plastic shopping bags are in a way constituting nuisance. They have proven to be more disadvantageous than expected and therefore should be banned.
    My reason for agreeing to this is because, people who use plastic bags tend to loose their environmental maintenance culture. People throw nylon bags, as it is often called around here ,very hastily on the ground with no atom of concern. For example, in the village markets, every ingredient you buy is going to be tied up in a nylon bag for you, no matter how small. A little child who buys a doughnut can just throw the nylon bag on the floor after eating the doughnut. This nylon bag will the fly away into the gutters to cause blockage and lack of flow of water, leading to heavy pollution in that area.
    Another reason why i think that plastic shopping bags should be banned is because children can easily put them in their mouth to play and because of the sensation of the bag, children can swallow them, oblivious of the consequence involved. In my country, everywhere on the ground is littered full with plastic bags causing the environment to be dirty and uninhabitable and unhealthy which will further lead to disease outbreak, sicknesses and death.
    In conclusion, i believe that plastic shopping bags have caused more harm than good and should be permanently put out of use.

  30. sandeep gurung says

    It is believed that plastic is the root cause of pollution in our planet and should be banned.

    Is banning it a viable answer? It looks like an easy option. Isn’t it just like running off from our responsibility? We need to understand why it was produced in the first place. Plastic was introduced in place of paper. Bags made from paper have less life, they are fragile and most important they are made from trees. We should thank people for inventing plastic as it has reduced the demand for paper bags and as a result of which lot of trees have survived. It may look hypothetical but its true. Just imagine the rate of deforestation taking place at present and think if paper bags were being used then how many more forests would have vanished.

    Instead of banning them, we should in my opinion look at ways to reuse them. Nuclear bombs were invented for destruction purpose but latter on they were used for generating power i.e. productive use. Similarly, governments or business community should look at ways to use this huge pile of garbage (fuel) to produce energy. We should plan for effective collection of plastic and systematic disposal of the same. Similarly, plastic can be used in construction of roads in place of bitumen or it may be used along with it. It shall reduced the construction cost of road as it is cheaper then bitumen. We can also reuse plastic and make safety tank, buckets and other items form the garbage. Some people have even produced clothes from waste plastics.

    Lets turn this curse into a boon as life without plastic is unimaginable.

  31. Sathya says

    Hi Liz,

    I attended the IELTS GT on March 3rd in USA. Here is the Task 2 Question that I was asked.

    “Some think dangerous sports should be banned. Do you agree or disagree? Give your reasons and include relevant examples from your own experience”

  32. Shaista Iftikhar says

    It is thought by many people in most countries of the world that plastic bags are a cause of water and land pollution and emphasize the need of legally banning of it as a step to stop it’s use. I strongly agree with this measure as it ll lead to force citizen to use alternative options to use due to unavailability and also encourage government and common person to take other steps to save our planet.
    First and foremost, only banning of plastic bags will ensure the non availability of this dangerous material to people. Manufacturers will look for other options for bags like paper ,cloth or synthetic material which would be recyclable and destructible. Threfore, avoiding more land or water pollution which is a cause of extinction of wildlife and sea creatures . Also acceptance of it would highlight the importance of issue and participation of everyone in this dilemma.
    In addition, banning of plastic bags and it’s use will encourage government and individuals that they can play an active role in saving this environment. For instance,Global warming is a worrying issue of today’s world and mendates to stop deforestation and to reduce or stop use of fossil fuels . Success of one step encourages to take further measures against land and water pollution consequently making our planet a safer place to live.
    To sum up, problem of environment pollution resulting from plastic bags can only be solved by legal ban in relation to nonavailability and future positive prospects of this measure are brighter.It is hope that government will make legislation to protect our environment and making world a better place to live in.

  33. In many parts of the world, plastic shopping bags are becoming the major source of soil and water pollution and therefore it has been suggested that they outght to be illegalized.Although many would not agree with this notion, in my opinion this is the best course of action.
    According to some people, instead of banning plastic bags, there are other solutions to decrease the amount of such garbage.One of the major step is to put limit on its usage in the form of reducing its production and its distribution to the sources from where these are distributed such as shopping malls, local fruits and vegetable markets.In other words, compelling the distributers to put as much items as possible in one bag rather than putting one in each in order to reduced the amount of their production as well as its disposal.Another solution is to increase awareness among public to reuse these bags for various other purpose.For example, they can be used for collecting various kinds of garbage, making sheets to cover oneself from rain in rainy days and so on.
    However, I am not in favor of this solution because of one major reason. This is that even if the current production rate of these plastic bags has been slowed down or public is encouraged and educated to recycle them, still there will be huge amount of these bags in rubbish form destroying both water and land resources.Therefore, complete banning its production is the ultimate solution.Because in the long term it will help to restore the damage of soil and water resources effectively. For instance, one of the survey has been done in the US, which shows that in one decade the amount of plastic bag litter collected is almost as equal to an area of Los Angeles, and even if the manufacturing of such bags has been stopped, it will take many years to clean this garbage.
    To sum up, although people have convincing views about dealing the growing issue of the presence of huge number of plastic bags rubbish both in soil and water in ways other than banning, I believe that making the use of such bags completely illegal is the most effective method to control its collection as well as its harmful effect on our planet.

  34. Amgad Elhag says

    There is no doubt that plastic shopping bags consider the most source of trash in various countries . Consequently, this lead to soil contamination as well as marine pollution . I believe that these bags have some advantages , so there are another ways to reduce the pollution rather than prohibited from their manufacturing .

    In recent years , plastic bags are entering the Worldwide markets for shopping purposes , making people’s lives comfortable by easy handle to their goods . Otherwise, these bags cause several problems which can damage our environment if we misuse them. Firstly, they may hurt some animals such as goats and sheep which lead to diminishing of livestock . secondly, they can cause marine pollution and harm the sea life by effects on fisheries . finally, they also give rise to contamination to natural areas or cities with these litters .

    Some countries start to put statements and orders toward reduce environmental pollution by prevent plastic bags from manufacturing and using them. But they were not only issue that we worried about. So instead of this , governments should go towards methods that increase people’s awareness of their environment . Furthermore, making a plan to collect these garbage and dispose them in healthy effective way . While the modes of waste disposal are different from country to another , the best way is through public’s sense and responsiveness , So whole efforts should be in the direction of rise knowledge and education through schools , works or homes .

    In conclusion , although these plastic bags result in some damage to our environment , I do believe that we should focus on our awareness rather than forbid them .

  35. Neela says

    A major concern has risen regarding extensive use of plastic in the form of food packaging aswell as carrier bags that has Contributed towards land and water plollution.These kind of waste accumulations that are hardly biodegradable have led to a massive thread to living mankind and the issue needs to be essentially addressed by the authorities.Many people think this type of pollution could come to an end by implementation of a ban on plastic use.No doubt the over use and failure to recycle plastic has not been effectively tackled yet I still don’t agree to the fact that plastic should be banned completely.
    There is media already spreading the awareness by broadcasting documentaries related to this issue one of which is presented by BBC by the name of Blue Planet.The crew has filmed the series highlighting the danger to marine creatures.After the series went popular there was immediate action taken by UN where almost 44 countries had taken part but could not come to a direct conclusion of banning plastic use in the ocean.
    Furthermore, UK had introduced a charge of 5p and 10p on plastic bags in 2016 and recent figures show a reduction in use by 85% only in England.
    The urban streets of the countries are also littered by plastic bags and local authorities are trying to clear the waste and take measures to dispose it an effective way along with imposing taxation and strict laws within the manufacturing companies.The number of Recycle plants are increased where necessary and people are advised to follow the recycle instructions on the packaging.
    By mutual effort this type of pollution can be effectively controlled and reduced without taking extreme measures like banning plastic and help maintain an environmental friendly world to live in.
    265 words

  36. Prabhjot Singh says

    Plastics were made for the convenience of people, but eventually, it has become a curse for the whole biodiversity being a non-biodegradable rubbish which leads to soil as well as water pollution.I completely abide by the notion that usage of plastic bags should be banned.I will enunciate my views in the subsequent paragraphs.
    To commence with, plastics is made up of polymers which are health hazardous.In fact, although there is no option other than recycling plastic bags, yet there is always negligence in the proper settlement of plastic bags, which in the ecosystem are left abandoned and are either get consumed by animals which result in choking their respiratory system or set free on the land surface which cause obstacles for the respiration of underground creatures so much so that plant roots.
    Elaborating further, the burning of plastics also contributes in the pollutions.Owing to the emission of harmful gasses, due to the burning of plastic bags, the air pollution rises.A case in point is the emission of CO2 and CFC’s are major attributes of global warming.The land and air pollution in no way lessen its participation in water pollution.As a matter of fact, plastic bags near the seashores or in deep underwater are left unnoticed forever which creates the problem for marine life, also for the tourism industry.
    To recapitulate, imposing limits on the wastage of plastic bags is a hard task to achieve as recycling seems to be a daunting task, it would be a nice step to ban it and to find a better alternative of it.

    • Prabhjot Singh says

      I hope somebody will check my essay and tell me about my flaws.
      Thank you. 🙂

  37. Air pollution and water pollution in many countries has reached an alarming level and among the main causes is the garbage from plastic bags. It is considered beneficial for the environment to prohibit the production of plastic bags. I strongly agree that production of such bags should be banned by the governments and we should switch to environment friendly alternates.
    Firstly, plastic bags are one of the major sources of land pollution because they cannot be degraded by the natural decomposing organisms in our environment. Likewise, in some parts of the world there are huge collections of garbage which cannot be reused or destroyed thereby resulting in pollution reaching alarmingly high levels. Another way to get rid of such garbage is setting fire to it which releases toxic fumes into the air causing respiratory illness thus making the air unhealthy for people. Therefore, many countries are now discouraging use of such environmental hazards and adopting environment friendly measures. For instance, developed nations have immensely reduced production of shopping bags and have started production of bio-degradable shopping bags which are available in all major stores. Also, paper bags are increasingly popular because of their ability to get recycled.
    Secondly, plastic bags contribute to water pollution as well because they clog the drainage pipes and if such garbage reaches the sea or oceans, the marine life is adversely affected. Like for example, chemicals such as PVC and polythene are toxic for the fish. Moreover, these bags can block the airways and digestive tract of marine animals as well.
    On one hand it is beneficial for our ecosystem that we use bio-degradable and environment friendly materials for disposing garbage. On the other hand, manufacturing of such environment friendly products is quite expensive than manufacturing polythene bags.
    In conclusion, I agree that plastic bags pose a great environmental hazard not only for the people and animals on land but also for the marine life. Therefore, it is strongly suggested to start using materials like paper and bio-degradable alternatives to sustain our ecosystem.

  38. Plastic litter is predominant cause of soil and water contamination in many nations, because of that people believe plastic should be prohibited.I agree that use of plastic carry bags must be prevented as it causes danger to life of marine and land.

    A good reason to discontinue plastic bags is that it difficult to decompose by nature so,it remains in environment for long time,which causes soil to become infertile and water to get polluted.which will affect overall natural food resources. This can be prevented by complete ban on plastic bags.

    Another point to consider to stop using plastic bag for shopping is that, plastic causes death of living organism of water and land.Plastic is not digested by animals which causes chocking of alimentary tract and leads to death of creature.For instance, death of cows and dolphins in many part of world is now very common.we can save life of animals by banning carry bags.

    Finally, micro plastic is entering in human body by consuming polluted seafood, and vegetables.which causes many serious health issues.For example, micro plastic is carcinogenic and it is one of cause of stomach cancer,also it enter in blood stream and interfere with endocrine function. People health can be get protected by vanishing plastic from the earth.

    In conclusion, I believe that to get rid of plastic bags is must for any country which values healthy life of their nation along with fertile land and clean water.

    • Thanks Liz for your discount on writing lessons.really worth even without discount.I can see difference between my essay and others….Sorry to be overconfident, but i really struggle lot to write before your purchase video lessons. Still i need to improve..wish me luck for my exam on 23rd March.

  39. It is irrefutable fact that plastic bags are gaining ground which resulted in huge amount of garbage on the earth.Because of that there is pollution on the soil and in the water .Therefore I believe that plastic bags should be banned.

    Admittedly,the main reason I am of the notion to forbid plastic bags from our daily use is its cause soil pollution.To illustrate, nowadays human beings are quite busy because of hectic lifestyle so they depend on easily available and cheap plastic bags for various purposes like shopping and to keep things .Once they used they throw into dustbin. This waste usually discarded on the ground .If these rubbish continue to dump there for long period of time there will be no way for rainwater to penetrate the ground and make the land as arable . This is because plastic bags are non-biodegradable.Eventually this land will become futile.Thus, I think that plastic bags should be banned to avoid soil pollution.

    Furthermore,these days most of the plastic bags are not only discarded on the land but also in the ocean. This culture affected the marine animals life and polluted the water . Consequently there is imbalance in ecological balance. Precisely, plastic bags are made up of chemicals when marine animals like fish eat these chemicals , there will be detrimental effects for people who consume those fish. What is more , ocean will lose the nature of it because of increased plastic wastes.

    In conclusion, I firmly believe that though plastic bags make people life easier it has deleterious effects in the long run like soil and water pollution. Hence , plastic bags must be forbidden for the benefit of humanity.

  40. IELTS writing test 2 Essay topic ( March 03,2018, KSA )

    “People are spending too much money on Sport or Cultural event tickets.
    Is it a good or bad thing ?

    Seriously your website has loads of information for FREE, it helped me a lot in preparing for test Hats off to you for your generous and kind work for Students
    Really Appreciated

  41. In most of the countries one of the major source of rubbish are plastic bags which used for shopping as well as to carry other stuff during excursion at forest visit or at beach, because of some carelessness of individual they throw these bags on ground or in water which lead to pollution.

    In late 20th Century plastic bags used as the major source in the shopping industry to carry variety of stuff because it is each to carry and place item collectively. Where as in the early of 21st Century studies concluded that plastic bags has lot of demerit rather than merits. One of the major disadvantage is it will take a long time to decompose even it different atmospheric temperature. These bags used in the dustbins to collect the garbage in the different places such as house, hotels etc.

    One of the major source of pollution due to plastic bags are our excursions in forest or near beach. People use these bags very carelessly and through it as there need fulfill after use, which lead to pollute the forest as well as the beaches. As these bags will not decompose fast, it will be eaten by the animals in forest and in water, and it will spoil there life.

    In my conclusion I totally agreed that plastic bags should be banned.

  42. Plastic shopping bags plays a key role in the raise of land and water pollution, so people think they should be abolished. In my opinion, I agree that plastic shopping bags are the main reason for the eventual increase in the land and water pollution, which leading to high global warming.

    One of the reason to support plastic shopping bags stoppage is, as it leads to high global warming. Plastic bags acts as a barrier in preventing rain water entering the ground which directly increases the temperature on earth and which results in high global warming.

    Another reason to support plastic shopping bags is it can lead to the extinction of some species. Animals consuming more amounts of plastic can lead to death which results in the eventual decrease in the population and in the long run can lead to extinction.

    Finally, plastic shopping bags must be abolished as it is indirectly effects humans health. Aquatic animals, which consumed plastic if eaten by humans, directly effects human body leading to cancer like dangerous diseases.

    To conclude, I strongly agree in abolishing the plastic shopping bags in all countries for the raise of the healthy ecosystem and environment.

  43. Ashish Kumar Gupta says

    I also abide by the statement “Discharge of plastic shopping bag is a main source of land and water pollution in many countries”
    These shopping bags are mostly non-biodegradable and when these are dumped into society they destroy nearby flora and fauna. In a survey held by “Ecological Society”, in 2018 it showed aquatic deaths occurred by these poly bags was around 60% and was supposed to increase by 15% till 2020 if rate of dumping continues to grow in similar trend.
    During autopsy of these animals it was found that animals body had huge accumulation of these poly bags which might have choked their body part.
    A similar report was being surveyed on stray animals such as Cow, buffaloes and pigs etc. and was found that these poly bags are responsible for unnatural death of these stray animals.
    The damage caused by these are not only limited to animals, but also it causes adverse affect on humans, these poly bags have very toxic chemicals which are being used for their coloring pigment. These chemicals are very carcinogenic and prolong usage might lead to untimely death.

    In my opinion these polybags must be banned and should be replaced by bio-degradable poly bags. It would help for better development of society by maintaining ecological balance.

  44. Udayanila Maruthiah says

    Plastic bags are everywhere in our environment. When we go to purchase groceries or going for shopping we use plastic bags as they are convenient for us. Plastic bags have become part of our life. Plastic bags comes at very high cost to environment and they are very harmful to human and animals both in land and water.

    Plastics are non biodegradable. There are some chemicals in plastics which can disrupt normal functioning of harmones in human body. Plastics on land inhibits soil nutrients and affect woodland animals. Most of the plastic bags thrown to environment find their ways to waterways and get dumped into oceans. There are billions of plastic get settled in ocean every year.

    Plastics in ocean are easily mistaken by sea life as their food. Death rate of sea life is increasing year by year. Most of the plastics in ocean are broken in very small particles are eaten by marine life. When people consume these sea foods it cause harmone issues to humans. It could also cause cancer and other serious diseases.

    Plastics take really very long years to biodegrade which affects our ecosystem. As plastics are affecting our earth’s ecosystem and living beings are affected with this we should definitely plan to ban plastics and look for alternatives for plastic. Paper bags are one best replacement for plastics. People should start o carry there own paper cloth bags to buy groceries and for shopping.

    Government should get involved this and ban the use of plastics and bring strict laws against plastics. This way we can save our life and also keep our environment clean place to live for our future generations.

  45. Samson says

    Pollution is caused by human beings…. Our planet has witnessed more rubbishes in recent years…..so I would definitely agree with the above mentioned statement by banning plastic bags….. First, though some countries have banned plastic bags or covers it’s still available…people don’t use it for other purpose like collecting rubbishes or putting things they simply throw it….. For example by throwing it in river it pollutes the river or blocks the drainage system which doesn’t allow water to flow freely and makes the place available for rodents and other infectious organism to move freely causing disease…. Secondly by burning the plastic bags causes air pollution……. Emitting co2 emissions leading to respiratory infection like asthma… COPD. Cancers……..so instead reusable bags can be manufactured will reduce the damage causing to the environment….

    • Sripriya says

      Some people think that plastic bags should be prohibited because they are the major pollutants of land and water in many parts of the world . I completely agree that plastic usage should be banned to reduce the environmental pollution.

      There are two major reasons why usage of plastic bags should be avoided. One reason is the adverse health effects of consuming food stored in plastic bags. Food items stored in the plastic bags absorb the harmful chemicals released by plastic and can cause terminal diseases like cancer. Furthermore, it has been found in recent research that chemicals from low quality plastic damages human immune system. Many people are unaware of these facts and tend to carry and store food items in plastic shopping bags. The only way to stop the diseases caused by plastic bags is to ban them.

      Another reason to support the ban of plastic bags is the environmental effects that are caused by them. In many countries plastic bags are disposed in garbages without recycling them properly. These bags are not biodegradable and settle on the surface of the earth or at the bottom of lakes, rivers and oceans. Plastic settled in water pollutes the ecosystem of the marine animals causing the death of over million underwater animals ever year. Plastic settled on the earth makes the soil infertile and prevents rain water harvesting. In addition to these problems, burning of plastic garbage emits toxic gases into the air which causes serious problems to life on earth.

      In conclusion, plastic bags pose serious threat to life on earth by polluting the environment and causing health problems and so they should be completely banned.

      • Hai Mis Priya I am a ielts beginner. Overall essay was very helpful, understandable, sentence structure is good, one thing I need to do highline the word which you used marine animals I think aquatic animals is more suitable. I expect more essays from you thank you

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