Should plastic bags be banned for free in all 50 states and instead charge a fee for each plastic bag used at the checkout? This will be the focused research question for this essay. In contemporary settings, the need to conserve the environment holds essence to a considerable degree. Plastic bags contribute to environmental pollution significantly. Thus, the establishment of policies that seek to curb the use of such bags is essential (Ritch et al. 170). In the United States, various states consider establishing and implementing strategies to curb the use of plastic bags at the checkout of retail and grocery stores. Several cities impose charges of up to $10 on customers using plastic bags. However, the strategy has not been effective in discouraging the utilization of environmentally unfriendly materials (Clapp and Swanston 318). Currently, several states including Arizona, Missouri, Idaho, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Utah, have tabled laws that would see the ban of plastic bags use, primarily at retail store checkouts. However, there is a need for all 50 states to prohibit the use of plastic bags at the checkout of retail and grocery stores. The use of plastic bags has detrimental effects on the environment. Plastic bags cause harmful consequences to forests, lakes, rivers, and oceans. The harm undermines the survival of flora and fauna in their natural habitat. Usually, plastic waste finds its way to water bodies where it soaks the toxins, which are transferred to aquatic life. Besides endangering the life of aquatic creatures, the toxins have the potential of finding their way to the top of the food chain, thereby posing adverse health implications on the human population. The problem of plastic bags threatens the sustainability of the 40 billion dollar ocean economy (Clapp and Swanston 320). Further, it is costly to finance the cleanup and recycling of plastic bags conducted in the entire United States. Therefore, the need to foster the sustainability of the natural environment calls for the free ban on plastic bags used for shopping in all the 50 states. The research seeks to advocate legislation that would see the permanent ban on the use of plastic bags when shopping in retail and grocery outlets. The current proposal also aims at underlining the essence of engaging in practices that foster environmental sustainability in the United States. The inquiry seeks to uncover the insignificance of charging shoppers who use plastic bags at the checkout. The value of the environment overrides the collected revenues. Environmental degradation has long-term implications for generations to come. Further, the ban would relieve citizens from the financial burdens incurred from the activities involved in the cleanup and recycling of plastic waste. The following research questions would be crucial in establishing a solution to the current problem induced by the use of plastic bags when shopping.   * What are the environmentally adverse effects of using plastic bags when shopping at retail and grocery stores in the United States?   * Does the application of charges at the checkpoints to shoppers using plastic bags contribute to the reduction of pollution caused by such materials?