Paper or Plastic? How about Neither

Plastic bags are a major threat to the environment.  Natural Environment.com has alarming statistics on the impact of plastic bags.

• Plastic bags cause over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistake them for food
• The manufacturers of plastic bags add tons of carbon emissions into the air annually
• Between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year
• Approximately 60 - 100 million barrels of oil are required to make the world’s plastic bags each year
• Most plastic bags take over 400 years to biodegrade. Some figures indicate that plastic bags could take over 1000 years to break down. (I guess nobody will live long enough to find out!). This means not one plastic bag has ever naturally biodegraded.
• China uses around 3 billion plastic bags each day!
• In the UK, each person uses around 220 plastic bags each year
• Around 500,000 plastic bags are collected during Clean Up Australia Day each year. Clean Up Australia Day is a nationwide initiative to get as many members of the public to get out and pick up litter from their local areas. Unfortunately, each year in Australia approximately 50 million plastic bags end up as litter.

So, What’s the greatest thing we can do? The popular phrase is Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.

Reduce: Only use plastic bags when it’s absolutely necessary.  When you make a conscious effort, you’ll be amazed at how little you actually have to use a plastic bag.

Reuse:  Use plastic bags as garbage liners, lunch sacks, a suitcase…anything.  Be creative.  Better yet buy reusable bags that aren’t made of plastic.  A great website is www.ReusableBags.com.  They sell many alternatives to plastic bags that are fun, affordable, and durable.  Check them out.

Recycle:  Recycle, recycle, recycle.  There are plastic bag recycling bins at most grocery stores, schools, etc.  Use them!

Let’s end the plastic bag plague.