Presentation Title
Green Taxes in the Green Mountain State: Consumer response to platic bag legislation in Vermont
Abstract
The health of the environment, wildlife, and public is threatened by pollution caused by single-use plastic bags, yet more than 100 billion plastic bags are used each year in the United States. Policies curbing the use of plastic bags have been introduced in countries around the world at local, state, and national levels of government. The United States saw a dramatic increase in statewide plastic bag bans between 2019 and 2020, but few studies have looked at statewide bans, consumer willingness-to-pay for continued use of these bags, and consumer views on current plastic bag legislation in the United States. My research focuses on statewide plastic bag policies, using the state of Vermont as a case study to look at consumer willingness-to-pay and response to single-use plastic bag bans. Data from the 2019 and 2021 Vermonter poll, along with Addison County, VT survey data, will be used to assess the relationship between consumer willingness-to-pay for continued use and certain demographics in order to identify ways plastic bag policies can be more targeted. A survey also will be distributed in the Brattleboro, VT area to assess consumer response to the Brattleboro single-use plastic bag ban and how views have changed over time.
Primary Faculty Mentor Name
Dr. Qingbin Wang
Status
Graduate
Student College
College of Agriculture and Life Sciences
Program/Major
Community Development and Applied Economics
Primary Research Category
Food & Environment Studies
Green Taxes in the Green Mountain State: Consumer response to platic bag legislation in Vermont
The health of the environment, wildlife, and public is threatened by pollution caused by single-use plastic bags, yet more than 100 billion plastic bags are used each year in the United States. Policies curbing the use of plastic bags have been introduced in countries around the world at local, state, and national levels of government. The United States saw a dramatic increase in statewide plastic bag bans between 2019 and 2020, but few studies have looked at statewide bans, consumer willingness-to-pay for continued use of these bags, and consumer views on current plastic bag legislation in the United States. My research focuses on statewide plastic bag policies, using the state of Vermont as a case study to look at consumer willingness-to-pay and response to single-use plastic bag bans. Data from the 2019 and 2021 Vermonter poll, along with Addison County, VT survey data, will be used to assess the relationship between consumer willingness-to-pay for continued use and certain demographics in order to identify ways plastic bag policies can be more targeted. A survey also will be distributed in the Brattleboro, VT area to assess consumer response to the Brattleboro single-use plastic bag ban and how views have changed over time.