In the ebb and flow of eco-consciousness, one constant villain has always risen in the tide: the plastic grocery bag. Plastic bags seem to litter our streets and become bothersome clutter in our kitchen cabinets over time. However, the unfortunate truth is that their negative impact is more far-reaching.
Plastic bags frequently litter our environment, and when released into nature can end up harming our wildlife. About 100,000 sea critters — like dolphins, turtles and penguins – are killed each year because of errant plastic bags, whether they accidentally ingest them or are suffocated by them. Because plastic is not biodegradable, the bag will continue to exist even after the animal has died and may claim even more victims.
Another eco-harmful aspect of the plastic bag is that its production requires the use of Petroleum, a non-renewable resource that we have been draining senselessly for years. About six percent of our world’s oil consumption is caused by the production of plastic! During Petroleum processing, excess amounts of CO2 are released into the atmosphere, which endangers our environment immensely.
Though plastic bags are recyclable, recycling programs that handle them have been few and far between. Luckily, more are appearing in local grocery stores and office supply stores, as well. Type 2 and Type 4 bags can be recycled and are often made into lumber, trashcan liners or even more plastic bags. Compostable bags must also be sent to industrial composting facilities and cannot be recycled in backyard or municipal composting systems
Paper bags are not necessarily the more “eco-friendly” choice; they generate 70% more emissions than plastic bags during production (according to a study done by Ibid). And, it takes over four times as much energy to manufacture a paper bag as it does to manufacture one made out of plastic. In fact, it requires 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than a pound of paper.
And what about decomposition? One would think that the paper bag does a better job of breaking down in the landfill but, in fact, nothing completely degrades in landfills these days. Our landfills are maintained in dry, dark and generally oxygen-deprived atmospheres, so even the compostable material stays relatively in tact.
The best option, then, is to choose a form of recyclable bag made from canvas, cotton or hemp, or any other sustainable material you find suitable and convenient. One great resource for comparison, examining the Life Span, Greenhouse emissions and Litter impact of a variety of bags, can be found at One Bag at a Time. Reusable bags come in a multitude of sizes and designs, from the most basic blank tote to modern, fun over-the-shoulder messenger-types, so no style of shopper is left out!
One more angle people often forget is the bags they use in the produce aisle; the bags we tote our broccoli and apples around in are also made from plastic, and are also environmentally un-friendly! Luckily nowadays there are a plethora of ways to avoid amassing a collection of produce bags. You can buy reusable bags, like netted mesh or canvas versions, you can reuse old plastic bags (cleaned and sanitized, of course), or even carry around your items au-natural when convenient, say for one stray avocado or a few bananas. Reusable produce bags are truly affordable and can be bought individually, or in sets, like this great deal from Ecobags.com.
Sometimes, though, when you’re on the run, plastic is simply unavoidable– so if you’ve got plastic bag guilt, just recycle! You can take your piles of unwanted, unloved bags to a kind recycling bin in your community that will gladly help bring them to their new homes. But before you say au revoir, you can surely find at least one other use for your bag, perhaps as a trashcan liner for a small office or bathroom wastebasket. Some clever ways to “recycle” your plastic bags, from Realsimple.com, include using them to keep your knees clean while gardening by wrapping them around the outside of your pants, toting them along when you walk Fido instead of buying special Doggie Clean-Up bags or using them to hold a wet umbrella on a rainy day.
Currently, plastic bags are not banned anywhere in the US, although states like Connecticut and New Jersey have taken action to pass legislation that would prohibit certain kinds of plastic bags from the market. But the consciousness is certainly rising regarding the impact each plastic bag has on our earth, and the amount of good service we are doing for our environment each time we choose cotton or canvas. Next time you’re grabbing your weekly groceries, remember to stop at home first and B.Y.O.Bag!
