Let’s Talk About Plastic Bags

I’m sure you have heard time and time again, the harmful effects of plastic bags. Yes, they are convenient to our everyday life, but are they safe? No. Of course in this day and age, avoiding plastic completely is inevitable, so don’t feel bad! Here is what you need to know about plastic bags and what you can do to implement more sustainable options!

History

The birth of plastic bags first began in 1965, when Sweden based company Celloplast, started replacing cloth with plastic shopping bags. They spread all throughout Europe and later to the United States. By the 1980s, plastic bags replaced cloth and paper completely. In the late 1990s and early 2000’s scientists and marine researchers started to notice an accumulation of plastic in our oceans. They feared for the health of our marine life and the long-term effects it could cause on the planet. Bangladesh was the first country to implement bans on plastic bags and little by little, other countries began to do the same. According to Climate Selecta China is considered one of the most polluted countries in the world. However, in 2020 China committed to reducing the amount of plastic use. We can only hope more countries will start to follow and take action.

Harmful Effects

Like most plastic, all single-use plastic bags cannot be broken down. In fact, according to the Center for Biological Diversity, it takes up to 1,000 years for a plastic bag to decompose. Even then, the bag can still break down into microscopic pieces that further harm the environment. All throughout the ocean, plastic bags are often mistaken as food and consumed by animals. These animals then starve to death thinking they are full, or are suffocated by the plastic intertwined inside their bodies. As stated in Earth Eclipse, plastics ingested by a decomposed animal will still remain, thus causing more harm to the animal that eats the carcass. These damaging effects of plastics are one of many issues that are now unavoidable. These types of problems aren’t pretty, but it is important to discuss them to promote change for both us humans and animals!

Alternatives

Let’s admit it, sustainability can be expensive. So here are some cost-friendly alternatives to plastic bags!

At the top of my list, and a personal favorite, is tote bags! This is most common among alternatives, especially when grocery shopping. What’s great about tote bags is that they are usually inexpensive and are sold at most grocery stores. Customer Earth sells tote bags for as low as 0.85 cents and also offers them sold in bulk! Reusing old tote bags is also a great way to implement less use of plastic bags. They fit tons more and can even get you small discounts at some grocery stores simply just for using them! 

Another alternative to plastic bags is paper bags. This might seem obvious, but the fact that paper bags are biodegradable, makes a big difference. National Geographic states that paper bags can be used for composting, and in 2018, 68.1% of paper consumed in the United States was recovered for recycling. Making a change such as this one might seem small and helpless however, any effort to limit your carbon footprint will help our planet stay alive. 

The last alternative I’d recommend, specifically when grocery shopping is reusable cotton mesh bags. These bags can range anywhere from $3.00 to $40.00. Environmental company Net Zero sells a pack of 10 reusable produce bags for $24.99. What’s great about this company is that their reusable bags are ethically made! They don’t use harmful chemicals or pesticides when being manufactured and are made of durable cotton. These types of bags are also machine washable! So ditch the old plastic produce bags and switch to aesthetically pleasing, environmentally friendly cotton bags! 

Edited By: Bolton