FIVE REASONS TO REFUSE PLASTIC BAGS

“Plastic pollution free world is not a choice but a commitment to life – a commitment to the next generation.”
― Amit Ray, Beautify your Breath – Beautify your Life

REFUSE PLASTIC SHOPPING BAGS

Plastic bags are hazardous and pollute our land, water, and air. Plastic bags are non-biodegradable, and hence pollute the soil they are dumped at. The dumping of plastic bags poses a significant threat to the environment and depletes our natural resources. So, next time when you go to market, refuse plastic bags and please take your own bag. Even if you forget one please use a box/ carton – most supermarkets have plenty of them as their products come packed in them. Also, they are reusable. Every year we throw away close to 100 billion plastic bags!  So if you’re looking for some solid reasons to make the switch to the reusable tote bags, offered at many grocery stores, here are a few that may change your mind.

Just Say No

Refuse! Bringing a reusable shopping bag is a great way to cut down on how much you end up with. A big part of living a zero-waste lifestyle is refusing what you do not need. What else can you refuse? Remove yourself from junk mail lists to cut down on paper.

FIVE REASONS TO REFUSE PLASTIC BAGS

1. They are filling up the landfills

The major impact of plastic bags on the environment is that it takes many years for them to decompose. In addition, when plastic bags perish under the sunlight, it releases many toxic substances into the soil. No matter how many uses you find for plastic bags, they are eventually going to end up in the landfill, where they will remain for quite a while (roughly a thousand years), taking up space, because they aren’t biodegradable. Plastic bags are dumped indiscriminately into landfills worldwide that occupy tons of hectares of land and emit dangerous methane and carbon dioxide gases as well as highly toxic leachates from these landfills during their decomposition stage.

2. They are made from non-renewable resources

Most plastic bags are made of polyurethane, a composite created from such non-renewable components as natural gas and crude oil. Producing plastic bags, transporting them to stores, and bringing the used ones to landfills and recycling facilities require millions of gallons of petroleum. So they waste a lot of natural resources and thus contribute to major climate change.

3. They are harmful to wildlife and marine life

Once you throw plastic bags into the rubbish, you don’t have any control over where they go. You can’t stop them from getting out into the environment where they can cause harm to whatever ecosystem they end up in. Both land and marine animals suffer from starvation, strangulation, choking, and entanglement by plastic bags, whether because they blunder into them and become trapped or because they often eat them. Waste from plastic bags poses a serious environmental danger to human and animal health. If we don’t dispose of the plastic bags properly, they can impact the environment by causing littering and drain blockages.

4. They can be harmful to the health of humans

Plastic bags pose a threat not only to marine life but also to agricultural land, resulting in low agricultural production worldwide. You are well aware that plastic bags need to be kept away from your kids because they pose a hazard to choking and suffocation.

5. Plastic bags are not easy to recycle, and never break down. 

Although it’s true that plastic bags can be recycled, and many markets have bins for customers to recycle their used bags, the unfortunate truth of the situation is that only about 1 percent of plastic bags are recycled worldwide.   Everyone should become aware that we should not use plastic bags. Instead opt for eco-friendly alternative bags made from fabric, natural fibers, and paper to reduce the problems associated with plastic bag wastes. Plastic bags should be prohibited globally and their biodegradable equivalents should be implemented to address these gross and harmful issues.  

To sum up, This is my conscious lifestyle post to spread more awareness about sustainable living.  and Join me for more such ways and tips and become part of my Conscious and sustainable living journey. Keep visiting my blog to make yourself eco-friendly, aware of conscious and sustainable choices and be more concerned for our environment, and alter your lifestyle.

Being Eco-Friendly is not a choice, make it a habit.

To add on, Read and listen to my Green talks series and check out interviews with Eco-conscious people who are trying their bit towards conscious and sustainable living practices. There is so much to learn and explore from all of them I had interacted with, do listen and drop in your views in the comments. Check here to know more about all the Eco-Friendly dates.