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Areas around the world including Australia, the United Kingdom, Paris, San Francisco, Bangladesh, South Africa, Shanghai and Taiwan are addressing the negative environmental impact of plastic bags head-on. Through taxation or outright banning, the bags that pile on the litter, take 1,000 years to decompose and despite being resuable and recyclable, are thrown away to the tune of 100 billion each year in America alone, are being edged out. Some statistics from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, which urges consumers to buy reusable bags (I highly recommend reusablebags.com):
- In New York City alone, one less grocery bag per person per year would reduce waste by five million pounds and save $250,000 in disposal costs.
- When one ton of paper bags is reused or recycled, three cubic meters of landfill space is saved and 13 - 17 trees are spared! In 1997, 955,000 tons of paper bags were used in the United States.
- When one ton of plastic bags is reused or recycled, the energy equivalent of 11 barrels of oil are saved.
Who is writing about this critical environmental issue which faces consumers across the globe?
Read what IKEA is doing about the problem at Oh My Stinkin' Heck.
Read a Canadian perspective and statistics at RK's Responsible Living, the blog of a freelance writer, editor and activist in Toronto.
Stumped about how to reuse your plastic bag? Visit No More Plastic Bags Please! to learn how to make a plastic bag bra.
BlogHer Green and Eco-conscious Editor mipmup also blogs at mipmup.
Photo credit: Morguefile by Carlos Paes
