In case you missed the Quadfest last week, some reps from 1 Bag At A Time were there with organic goodies and, appropriately enough, bags: tote bags, which they handed out for free in the hopes that people will use them when buying groceries, etc., in place of either paper or plastic bags.
(A small disclaimer from Earth Tips; we are not endorsing purchases here, just passing along some possibly useful info. So, if you check them out, and we hope that you do, know that they are in business to sell bags; but the product seems a noble one, and the root cause driving the business is more than laudable.)
Give them a look-see at http://www.1bagatatime.com/
Some interesting facts the 1 Bag folks included with their tote bag gifts. They are:
The Top 5 Reasons To Reuse A Bag
- The petroleum in 14 plastic bags could drive a car 1 mile.
2. Americans use 14 billion plastic bags annually [that’s billion, with a big ‘B’].
3. Making a paper bag emits 70% more global warming gasses than making
a plastic bag.
4. Paper bags do not biodegrade in landfills.
- Cities spend up to 17 cents per bag in disposal costs. [Which is to say, “we spend . . .” – remember this one when talking to your very-pale-green (concrete gray?) friends; nothing shouts louder than tax dollars.]
Just one source with concurring conclusions on the ‘what sack to use’ dilemma
can be found at http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.
They say: “The answer to the "paper or plastic"? dilemma is: Neither! They're roughly equal in pros and cons. While convenient addictions, they both gobble up natural resources and cause significant pollution.”
The reusablebags.com folks cite a number of dark green complaints; we’ll note one:
Recycling >> It takes 91% less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper.
But recycling rates of either type of disposable bag are extremely low. According to the Wall Street Journal, only 10 to 15 percent of paper bags and 1 to 3 percent of plastic bags are being recycled.
Please do visit their website. They’ve got actions to take, things to buy, and more facts to make you greener, and smarter about the earth we all live on.
Remember: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
