Ditch Plastic Bags Now
Get pumped everyone because we are going to tackle plastic use together! We're starting with an easy one - plastic shopping bags.
According to the EPA, 32 million tons of plastic waste were generated in 2012 and only about 9 percent of it was recovered for recycling. Even if we were better at recycling, it still takes energy and oil to produce all of that plastic. Without national support, many cities are starting their own bans on plastic bags, but it's easy enough to make it a personal habit.
I've made it my habit to carry an extra bag and have a "go-bag" for grocery shopping hanging in the hall. Now that it's my habit, I find plastic bags uncomfortable to carry; they cut into my fingers and I can't put them on my shoulders. And wouldn't you rather carry around a much cooler bag like the ones below? Whether you use a big bag for everything or stash smaller ones away, you'll be sustainably sartorial.
Hover for information. Click to be taken to the product.
Now that you are set up with your shopping bag - don't forget to ditch those plastic bags used for produce and bulk items. Once you start carrying around shopping bags, it's super easy to stuff some cotton or mesh produce bags in too. Now you have the perfect set up to cut down your plastic use!
Hover for information. Click to be taken to the product.
5 Reasons to kick the plastic shopping bag habit:
You'll minimize that enormous plastic bag of bags you have in your house (you know the one).
Producing plastic bags requires petroleum, which could be used elsewhere or, even better, not at all.
Plastic bags are not biodegradable and are rarely recycled.
They clog landfills and waterways.
Sea turtles and other marine creatures mistake plastics and other garbage as food and ingest it. This mistake causes blockages within their digestive system and eventual death.
Please, please make it your new habit to ditch plastic shopping bags. I know you can do it!
We will tackle more places to get rid of plastic with this series in the future. Learn more about ethical home ideas here.
You Might Also Like:
