There’s a big movement out there trying to persuade Americans to reuse their bags — whether plastic or paper. In fact, the movement is getting so big and popular that many manufacturers have popped up with the sole purpose of producing custom printed, eco-friendly, reusable plastic bags and custom paper bags for industrial, commercial, retail, or even promotional use.
The goal is to get more people using reusable, eco-friendly bags rather than plastic, and it seems to be catching on a bit. It helps that already about 90% of Americans are in the habit of reusing their plastic bags to pack their lunches in or as trash bags, so that’s a good first step. People who already reuse bags on a consistent basis are more likely to take that second step of using reusable, eco-friendly bags.
Using eco-friendly bags are important because they have a smaller impact on the environment. When you consider that, to make the 100 billion plastic bags that are used in America every year, it takes about 12 million barrels of oil, and that nearly 14 million trees are cut down every year to make paper bags, being eco-friendly is more important now that it has ever been.
According to industry estimates, about 90% of bags being used in grocery stores are plastic. Around the world, an estimated 500 billion to one trillion plastic bags are used every year! One person alone averages 380-500 bags a year! That’s a lot of plastic being used, so it’s a good thing that more and more people are beginning to see the value and importance of reusing them for other purposes.
The more people either reuse their bags or switch to more eco-friendly bags, the less likely of a chance there will be for that plastic to end up in the oceans or our forests where wildlife can be harmed. It’ll also translate to less bags needing to be produced, which means less oil being used and less trees being chopped down.
Thanks to manufacturers who are beginning to see the value of reusable, more eco-friendly bags, it’s easier now more than ever to join the movement. Whether you continue to reuse traditional plastic bags or purchase yourself a collection of reusable bags, you’ll be doing a lot to help preserve the environment around you.
