The Alternative to Plastic and Paper – BYOB!

Who would have thought that daily or weekly trips to the grocery store would have such a burdensome impact on our environment? Or that the use of plastic or paper would become such a morel decision?

For decades, retailers have successfully sent you home with the cheap little white or brown bags that pile up endlessly, blow away easily, and have less second uses than you can invent for them.

Here are some simple facts:

A plastic shopping bag can take anywhere from 15 to 1000 years to decompose.

The United States alone uses approximately 100 billion new plastic bags per year - the average person goes through between 350 and 500 per year.

An estimated one million birds and 100,000 turtles and other sea animals die of starvation each year after ingesting discarded plastic bags which block their digestive tracks.

It takes 12 million barrels of oil to produce the amount of plastic bags the US uses per year.

Think paper bags are better? The United States cuts down 14 million trees per year simply to supply the demand for paper shopping bags. It requires 13% more energy to produce one single paper bag than to produce two plastic bags.

The average reusable bag has the lifespan of over seven hundred disposable plastic bags. Over a lifetime, use of reusable bags by just one person would save over 22,000plastic bags. Isn't that an even better incentive to make the switch?

The popularity of reusable bags has grown and some retailers offer monetary incentives for bringing your own bag. You can find a variety of color selections, styles to support your favorite sports team or cause or you can just decorate your own to show off your personal style.

So, the next time you leave the store, make it BYOB - BRING YOUR OWN BAG…..

Need a reusable bag? Check out my website for your favorite color.