The average plastic bag will take between 15 to 1,000 years to decay depending on the environment. Plastic bags can sit in a landfill for many Shopping Bags decades, or even centuries without any significant break down.
Plastic bags can cause the death of up to 100,000 turtles, 1 million birds and other sea animals each year. Animals may mistake floating bags for sea life, such as jellyfish and plankton. Plastic clogs their digestive system once they have eaten it. The animals often starve to death. Others may drown if they become entangled in plastic bags.
Plastic bags are expensive to recycle so many recyclers won’t accept them. Most plastic bags end up in landfills.
According to the EPA, only 2% are recycled from plastic bags. Rest of the plastic bags end up in landfills and floating around the seas, releasing toxins into the soil.
You might be wrong to think that paper bags are better than plastic bags. To make paper bags, the United States cuts down 14 million trees each year.
Paper bags are twice as likely to pollute the atmosphere than plastic bags so they’re not a good choice for the environment.
According to the British Antarctic Survey, plastic bags that were not properly disposed of have been found as far as the Arctic Circle, and as far south as Falkland Islands.
Because of their light weight, plastic bags don’t always end up in landfills. Plastic bags often fly away and end up in trees, littering our beaches.
Plastic bags are made from petroleum products, which are not renewable resources.
Plastic bags account for 10% of the washed-up garbage that pollutes American coasts.
9 Benefits of Reusable Grocery Shopping Bags
- Paper and plastic bags are clearly not good for the environment. Reusable grocery bags offer many benefits.
- Cost effective. Cloth shopping bags can be used for many years without being thrown away. It is easy to wash your cloth shopping bags when they become dirty and continue using them.
- Reusable bags can last for years and be reused many times. Reusable bags can also carry more weight than plastic bags.
- Shopping incentives. If you buy reusable bags, many grocery stores offer discounts and points. Even small savings can translate into significant savings over the course of time.
- Quicker bagging. Reusable bags are more durable than plastic bags and can be packed quicker.
- It is easy to carry. It is easier to carry a reusable bag that has a comfortable cloth handle. You won’t have to worry about your hands getting cut by plastic bag handles.
- No torn bags. How many times has plastic bags been used to transport groceries? Reusable bags won’t tear or split.
- Your brand will be visible to your prospects and customers. You can have your logo and contact information printed on custom-made grocery bags if you’re a business. Because customers use these bags for many years, this is a great marketing tool. The price per item will drop the more you buy reusable bags. It can be an effective marketing campaign, both from a cost-point of view.
- You can find reusable shopping bags in many different materials, colors, and designs. Canvas, hemp, jute, and polypropylene are all common materials for reusable bags. These bags can be machine washed and are durable enough to last for many years.
Reusable Benefits
All of us have that little bit of extra space in our homes for plastic bags. They may be useful, but it’s not a good idea to keep them around for too long. The average person will only use a plastic bag 12 minutes before throwing them away.
Instead of collecting a lot of single-use plastic bags that are both inconvenient and expensive, you can use a reusable shopping bag. A reusable shopping bag can bring many benefits. Here are the top benefits of using reusable shopping bags.
- Save Money
Reusable bags are more cost-effective than plastic bags in many areas, including your pocket.
Plastic bags are starting to be charged an additional fee in many stores. You can save money every time you bring your own reusable bag Home Shopping Malls to the grocery store, shop for clothes, or go on errands. If they don’t charge plastic, many stores offer incentives to bring your own bag. You’ll save money every time you buy, no matter how you look at it.
- You can save resources and money.
Plastic bags are not biodegradable. They require crude oil and natural gases to make and even more fossil fuels for shipping.
You can reduce the non-renewable resources required to make plastic bags. Additionally, you will save money on community clean up expenses each year by using a reusable bag.
No matter how you dispose of plastic bags they wind up on the streets, infiltrating natural areas, and clogging waterways. This is not only an eyesore but also costly to clean up.
California spends $25million annually to send plastic bags into the landfill. That doesn’t even include $8.5 million spent on removing bags from the streets. Reusable bags can be used to reduce the amount of taxpayer funds spent on litter cleanup, allowing for more community-funded projects.
- Reduce clutter in your home and save space
Plastic bags can take up much space and clutter your home, car, and office. Consider this: 5 grocery bags worth food per week equals 260 bags. This is just for groceries. Plastic bags can end up clogging your kitchen cabinets, pantry, and car, wasting space that could be used for more important, less-recyclable items.
Although reusable bags are larger than plastic grocery bags, they can be folded up and take up much less space than plastic bags. Instead of having 20-50 plastic bags around your home, you will have three to four reusable bags.
- Durability and reliability
Reusable bags can hold more than the plastic bags you get from retailers. Fill up your cotton or hard plastic bag until it is full. It won’t burst. This means fewer trips to your car and more space to carry.
They are also resistant to ripping and tearing. You can say goodbye to spilled groceries and multiple trips.
They are durable and can be used for many purposes. My reusable bags are used for lessons, grocery shopping, beach bags, and even as purses. These bags are convenient and easy to pack.
- Peace of mind
You’ll not only have more space in your house, but also peace of mind. Plastic bags are among the top ten most commonly found objects in oceans and beaches. Plastic bags are estimated to be used in 500 billion to 1 trillion per year. They end up in rivers, soils and oceans.
You’ll feel much better if you stop accumulating unnecessary plastic bags. It doesn’t matter if you are aware of your waste habits or not. You’ll start to feel the difference and it will be great.