Not long ago plastic bags celebrated it's 75th birthday. With billions of plastic bags being used each year, (roughly 330 a year for each person in the country), most of them end up thown away. Now there are many options to using paper or plastic, one is the re-usable cloth bag.
The next time you go shopping think about this, you'll probably use those plastic bags on average of 10 mintues. That same plastic bag, if not recycled can take more than 400 years to breakdown, only to leave behind chemical particles that could eventually be digested by fish, birds, or other wildlife. Most people don't think about where plastic bags come from or even where they end up. Places like Australia and China have already phased them out. Even countries as far away such as Uganda and Taiwan have stopped using them. Critics say the US has fallen way behind globally with banning the plastic bag.
Now however, we have many options to paper and plastic bags. The cloth re-usable bag has proven to be a sturdy sucessful alternative choice. Local grocery stores in Webster carry re-usable bags that typically sell for under a dollar. Most notibly, Wegmans and Hegedorns have them available, and keep them well stocked. They are durable and waterproof and the sturdy straps withstand a lot of weight without tearing. The flat bottoms help prevent tip-overs and if they get dirty, just sponge them off and the lightweight fabric dries quickly. You can fold them for easy storage in your car or trunk - and they're ready for your next trip to the store.
You can also purchase organic canvas cloth bags on-line. Many places now carry them and for the price, they can't be beat. These pesticide free bags come in assorted colors and sizes and are made of cotton or organic hemp. Strong and sturdy they will last a very long time. So the next time you make that trip to the grocery store, think about where that plactic bag might end up when your done with it.
Does anyone remember that old saying, Keep America Beautiful?
Reusable Bags At Wegmans
