Most people would agree that we all need to make changes in our lives to help save the planet from pollution and global warming. Buying a hybrid car or installing solar panels to our roof isn’t something we all can afford to do and buying all of our daily food from local sources just isn’t an option for many of us either. There is one thing, though, one small, inexpensive thing we can all do on a daily basis that would make an increadable difference if we all adopted it – bring your own bag. Here’s why:
Plastic bags are made of polyethylene, which is a petroleum product. Production of petroleum contributes to energy consumption and air pollution. Each year 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are produced. Americans use over 100 billion polyethylene bags per year and only 1% are recycled. It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down and as they do, toxic substances leach into the soil and enter our food chain.
About a year ago, I purchased two cloth bags from Reusable Bags. They are lightweight bags, designed to fit over check out frames, and hold up to 25 pounds. A great thing about them is that they fold up into a small pouch that can easily fit into your purse or in the basket under a stroller. They would also conveniently store in the glove box of your car. Everytime I use them at a store, the cashier comments on how great they are and asks where I got them from.
I’ve noticed that many stores sell cloth bags now so it’s an easy practice to put in place. Buy a few and use them often. Once you do, you’ll be amazed by how many plastic bags you DON’T use in a day!
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