State lawmakers and environmental advocates have rallied in support of a number of bills aimed at protecting the environment. 

Kent state Representative Roberta Willis says the state and country have come far since the first Earth Day was celebrated 45 years ago.  There was no Environmental Protection Agency, no Department of Environmental Protection, and no Council on Environmental Quality.

One of the bills being considered this session would phase out single-use plastic bags in Connecticut.  Lawmakers are also calling for passage of legislation to reduce the use of pesticides in the state.

A bill to ban the sale of personal care products which contain microbeads is also being considered.  Redding state Representative Dan Carter says the idea for the bill came from a constituent.  The small particles of plastic found in toothpaste, soap and other products find their way into wastewater treatment facilities, and into the water becoming a significant source of pollution.  Lawmakers say the non-biodegradables threaten aquatic life which often mistake them for food.