You’ve probably seen reusable shopping bags in just about every store you visit. That’s because plastic bags have far too many side effects for us to continue using them much longer.
On average, each one of us uses six plastic bags each week. That adds up to over 300 plastic bags every year, and they don’t always stay in landfills.
Due to their lightweight nature, plastic bags often fly away into bodies of water, our yards, school grounds, and litter the countryside.
Every year, thousands of animals die by mistaking them for food and ingesting. Some animals even find themselves caught in the plastic when swimming.
By switching to reusable shopping bags that are never thrown away, you’ll be saving precious wildlife, along with our planet.
Once plastic bags actually begin to break down, they release toxins into the water and soil. Those toxins can easily end up back in our bodies.
While some recycling plants will recycle plastic bags, the process is expensive and it rarely happens.
The majority of plastic bags end up being either eaten by animals or decomposing, the latter of which can take anywhere from 15-1,000 years.
Some people think that paper bags are better because they’re recyclable, but they still have a negative impact on our environment. Every year, the United States cuts down 14 million trees just to make paper bags.
They also contribute to atmospheric waste more than plastic bags.
In addition to being a greener choice, using reusable shopping bags might save you money at the store. Some places will give you a discount for using your own bag.
For those of you who are business owners, this is a great opportunity to advertise yourself. Simply add your logo to reusable shopping bags and people will see it for years to come!
As you can see, the harmful effects of plastic bags are quite catastrophic. Even though there is an upfront cost to purchasing reusable shopping bags, remember all of the good you’re doing for the environment!
