Since being introduced in 1977, disposable shopping bags have replaced brown paper bags as the preferred way to take them home from the store. Convenient and cheap to produce, plastic shopping bags appear to be an efficient and cost-effective alternative to brown paper bags for both retailers and consumers alike.
Unfortunately, the use of disposable plastic bags has a serious impact on the environment that if left unchecked can lead to permanent consequences in the future. You can also buy a renewable retail bag via online sites.
Although cheaper and easier to produce than paper bags, manufacturing plastic bags for shopping is a huge cost to both the environment and natural resources.
In a 2004 study by the Australian Bureau of Statistics, a car driving one kilometer (0.62 mi) would be equivalent to producing 8.7 disposable cars. To further clarify the energy cost; Each year the US uses an estimated 1 billion bags for 12 million barrels of oil.
The average American household accumulates an estimated 50 bags a month, or at least 600 bags annually. If everyone in New York City used one less shopping bag annually, more than 5 million pounds of waste would be prevented; with $250,000 savings in removal costs to New York City.
Under ideal conditions, a plastic bag will degrade completely in twenty years. Under less than ideal conditions, such as in landfills, the decomposition process is estimated to take up to a thousand years. in 2008.
By using only one reusable shopping bag, the need for at least 700 disposable bags can be prevented or reduced. lifetime, which can add up to more than 20,000 disposable shopping bags; A huge savings in energy, raw materials, and impact on the environment. Reusable shopping bags are a smart and effective option for helping the environment.