Do you have a bag full of reusable bags at home? Most of us have accumulated a collection of totes – the kind given out at events, with magazine subscriptions, or as thank you’s for charitable donations. But having them doesn’t do any good if you don’t use them! Reusable bags aren’t just for the grocery store. Keep a stash on hand in a very visible place – by the front door or on the passenger seat of your car – and use them anytime you shop, whether you’re buying books or clothes or office supplies.
Single use plastic bags have a huge impact on the amount of waste that goes into our landfills and oceans. It takes about 1,000 years for plastic bags to degrade, and in the process they contaminate soil and water by leaching toxic chemicals. They also pose a danger to birds and marine life when they’re mistaken for food and ingested.
Studies have shown that in cities where plastic bags have been banned, the amount of plastic particles detected in nearby waters has dramatically decreased. It’s time to ditch the plastic and do our part for the planet. Make a habit of carrying reusable bags wherever you go!
