How to lead a green life by cutting plastic bags out of your life!

Think back to your last grocery shopping experience. Years ago, you would have been given the option of paper or plastic for your bag. Did the bag boy or girl offer you choices during your last venture through checkout? I thought not. Plastic bags, being cheap and durable, are used within 80% of retail establishments in the US. Purchasing just 30 items could leave you with 10 plastic carriers or more, but at what cost?

While these items can be recycled, how many of us actually do it? A quick glance into an average home will find a number just sitting there, waiting for new use. According to Worldwatch Institute, 430,000 gallons of oil are required to create 1 million plastic carriers. The environmental impact does not just end there. The Marine Conservation Society in the UK estimates that it takes 450 -1000 years for plastic bags to bio-degrade. Within a marine environment, it never breaks down completely. When blown into rivers and waterways, they can threaten the safety of wildlife, particularly birds who can become trapped in the handles. When bags break down, what remains is known as 'plastic dust'. This dust and biotoxins, including:polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), that the plastic dust accumulates, are ingested by marine life. This can be passed onto fish and in turn goes up the food chain to humans.

To create a green life and an even greener future for your family and your world, every small step you take counts.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. If you have plastic bags in your cupboards, re-use them! This will reduce your consumption of plastic immediately. Some stores even offer rewards for customers that do so. It's always worth checking with your local supermarket to see if they have such a scheme. If not, suggest they consider doing so!
   
   Once your stock of plastic bags have outlived their use, ensure they are re-cycled appropriately. Supermarket chains like Safeway tend to have bins at their stores specifically for this use.

2. While biodegradable bags do exist, they can take months to years to break down, so it's best avoiding plastic completely. This leaves you with a need for receptacles in which to place your shopping so you can deliver it home safely intact.

3. Ask your supermarket manager if any cardboard boxes are available for your use. With most of their deliveries arriving in large brown boxes, there should be plenty available to suit your needs. The boxes are perfect for keeping your groceries stable and safe while you are transporting them home. Once your cardboard has outlived its function, ensure it is recycled appropriately.

4. For large grocery shops, purchase reusable bags created by natural fibers, such as 100% cotton. Many cloth bags can hold weights of up to 40lbs, so you shouldn't worry about the durability.

5. For smaller shopping ventures, such as to the farmer's market, consider purchasing a string bag or a wicker hamper to store your fruit, vegetables and other tasty goodies.

Tips & Warnings

• After use, it's always a good idea to store your bags or basket in the car so you don't get caught short. Remember that your use of cloth bags or a basket can extend beyond grocery shopping. A cloth bag can be incredibly useful on a trip to a shopping mall. Instead of wandering through the mall with a number of bags and worrying about losing one, you'll be able to have all your purchases kept in one easy (and green) location!

[grouch]

on 12/9/2007 This is a great idea. They have those plastic bag holders that you can keep in your car. My bookstore that I shop at actually donates money to a green project every time you don't take a bag.