Did you know that…
- a plastic bag takes 450 years to biodegrade.
- the production of paper bags causes 70% more pollution than plastic.
- when plastic “photo degrades” it ends up in our oceans. Incidentally, it appears much like a plankton, and is then consumed by fish. Fish eat it, and it winds up on your dinner table.
- the recipe for making paper bags starts with 1 part pulp, 400 parts WATER.
- the recycling of plastic emits heavy metals into the air causing extreme air pollution.
- an average person will use over 350 bags in a single year!
- in New York City, one less grocery bag per person would reduce waste by 5 million pounds and save $250,000 in disposal costs.
- in 1999 more than 14 million trees were cut down to produce 10 billion paper bags that were used by Americans that year.
- reusable bags save 700+ bags over the span of their lifetime!
- if we spread the word about the importance of reusing our grocery bags, work together, and somehow this movement catches on, the end up benefit to the Earth is going to be huge! We are talking millions of gallons of fresh water saved, millions of gallons of fuel saved, and hundreds of thousands of acres of forest land saved every year!
And the final reason, there are some darn cute bags that hold so much more than your average shopping bag, out there. No more one item per bag at the grocery store. Check out the selection at Delight.com. Or just recycle those old canvas bags you get from all those promotions or business conferences. What else are you going to do with them?
I keep a Mini-RuMe in my purse at all times. It takes up no space, weighs next to nothing, and it holds quite a bit (just look at all it holds over there on the right). It let’s me cut down on bags from all those planned and unplanned shopping trips since I have my own bag on me, not forgotten back in the car. You know it’s always the unplanned trip or the forgotten bag that gets you nearly every time. And did I mention it’s so cute that I get tons of compliments on it?
