We were recently watching "Long Way Down", Ewan McGregor's motorcycle adventure show where he and a buddy bike from Scotland to South Africa, and noticed that not only is Africa more than lions and elephants, it's littered with plastic bags. Yes, the obnoxious plastic sacks that you bring home every time money leaves your pocket. It was sad. Beautiful African landscapes, exotic plants and breathtaking views, blighted with awful, ugly plastic bags. Ugh.
How many plastic bags are in your home right now? Do you take them back to the store for recycling or do you stuff them in the trash can, out of sight, out of mind? We return ours to the store, but I'll admit the pile grows huge before we take them back. But, at least we take them back.
PLEASE don't stuff these bags in the trash! They won't go away, they don't biodegrade, and chances are they will end up clinging to a tree or bush somewhere, choking an animal who mistakes them for food, or even worse, end up in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. The trash in the patch doesn't just float around out there; animals mistake it for food and it ends up back in the food chain, which means we end up eating plastic, too. Plastic lives forever.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Boycott Plastic Bags: Simply say "no thanks" when you check out. Hand carry your purchase, tuck it in your purse.
Take your own bags to the store: I have a whole batch of mismatched canvas bags that we haul to the store - they work great (and never split or tear).
Write to the stores to ask them to stop using plastic: Most stores offer bags for sale (usually $1 or less) and they will give you a credit when you bring your own bags in for them to use for your purchase.
Drop me a note and let me know how you are Banning The Bag. I'd love to hear how you are making the world a better place for everyone.
1 comment:
I really wish the U.S. would get into reusing canvas bags. Here in Germany you must buy a bag if you want/need one, and it isn't cheap. So we always carry our own bags in readiness, and it isn't a big deal.
Oh, another thing. I remember that many stores in the States would give a discount for re-using plastic sacks, I think it was .05 cents or something. Nice little incentive, don't you think?
Now if I can just get people to realize the evil of bottled water.
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