| Plastic Bags - Time to Bin 'Em: |
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 Ladies and Gentlemen, meet the seemingly innocent Plastic Bag!!
They're everywhere (literally)—and causing a bigger problem than most of us think.
--The Count --
-Over one million plastic bags are consumed every minute.
-According to the EPA, over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.
-According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually at an estimated cost to retailers of $4 billion.
--The Effect --
-Plastic bags don't biodegrade! They break down into small toxic bits and contaminate soil and waterways—where they are eventually consumed by animals.
-Plastic bags kill thousands of marine life each year, including whales and turtles.
-They trap birds, block drains, leak color additives into food, choke plants and soil.
-Stray bags are so common in Africa that people harvest them and use them to weave hats and bags. BBC discovered that one group harvests up to 30,000 plastic bags per month.
--OPTIONS--
-Some countries (Bangladesh, Ireland, Taiwan, Australia) have levied a tax on plastic bags, and other countries, like Rwanda, have even banned them.
-Uganda's solution to replacing plastic bags is using banana leaves!
-Here in the US where banana leaves don’t grow in the back yard, people are purchasing RESUABLE canvas totes. Yes, bringing your OWN reusable bag to the grocery store.
-Alternative uses for your plastic bags—use them as small trash liners, storage, or packaging material.
www.reusablebags.com
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