We can lessen our environmental footprint by minimizing our use of plastic shopping bags. If we do so, our world will become a cleaner, safer place for all living things
There is one simple action we can all take that will have an enormous impact on the health of our planet and its inhabitants. The next time you shop, don't leave the store carrying a plastic bag. If everyone did this, one of the most lethal polluters created by man would be removed from circulation.
Consider the following shocking facts about plastic shopping bags:
- Plastic bags are made of polyethylene
- Polyethylene is a petroleum product
- Production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption
- Four to five trillion plastic bags are manufactured each year
- Americans use over 380 billion polyethylene bags per year
- Americans throw away approximately 100 billion polyethylene bags per year
- Of those 100 trillion plastic bags, 1% are recycled
- It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down
- As polyethylene breaks down, toxic substances leach into the soil and enter the food chain
- Approximately 1 billion seabirds and mammals die per year by ingesting plastic bags
- Plastic bags are often mistaken as food by marine mammals. 100,000 marine mammals die yearly by eating plastic bags.
- These animals suffer a painful death, the plastic wraps around their intestines or they choke to death
- Plastic bag choke landfills
- Plastic bags are carried by the wind into forests, ponds, rivers, and lakes
- There are alternatives to plastic bags. All of this death and pollution is unnecessary
Countries all over the world are slowly becoming aware of the threat plastic bags present to our world. Many have enacted laws aimed to decrease the use of plastic bags, while others have, or are, planning to impose taxes on the use of plastic bags.
Even large corporations are getting on board. For example, Real Canadian Superstore charges customers 5 cents per bag and IKEA has vowed to discontinue the use of plastic bags in all of their stores as well as exerting pressure on their suppliers to take the same action.
These forward thinking, socially conscious countries, cities and corporations should be commended, but the reality is, none of these steps would be necessary if individuals would make the same commitment, or if at the very least, people would do the following:
- Reuse plastic shopping bags and wraps
- Use wax paper instead of polyethylene products
- Utilize reusable shopping bags made of cloth or hemp
- Recycle your plastic shopping bags by returning them to the store
- If you forget your reusable shopping bag, opt for paper
- Minimize your garbage output by composting and recycling
- Write to your local and federal governments to demand environmentally-friendly bags (they do exist)
- Tell others about the harmful impact of plastic bag usage
It might take a little planning and a little more time to say no to plastic bags, but by putting life ahead of inconvenience, each and everyone of us can make a difference to the health of our planet and to all of those living things that have no choice but to live or to die because of the decisions we make.
Sources:
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Environmental Protection Agency
