Immediate and Unexpected Benefits of Replacing Single Use Plastics with Reusables
We all have that space tucked away in our house reserved for unwanted plastic bags. Yes, they may come in handy, but there’s also a hesitation there to throw them away immediately after receiving them (The average person uses a plastic bag for only 12 minutes before discarding it).
Rather than collecting an abundance of single use plastic bags that are not only inconvenient, but harmful to the environment and costly, try using a reusable shopping bag. There are plenty of benefits to investing a reusable bag. Listed here are some of the most advantageous benefits to using a reusable shopping bag.
1. Save Money Using reusable bags over plastic bags can save money in several areas – Including your own pocket.
Many stores are beginning to impose an extra charge for plastic bags. By bringing your own reusable bag, you are saving money each time you go to the grocery store, buy a new outfit, or run errands. Many stores, if they don’t charge for plastic, are offering an incentive for bringing your own bag. So either way you look at it, you’re saving money on each purchase.
2. Save Resources—And Therefore, Money
Plastic bags are non-biodegradable, use crude oil and natural gas to manufacture, and require even more fossil fuels to ship.
By using a reusable bag, you are not only reducing the amount of non-renewable resources necessary to produce plastic bags, but you’re also reducing the amount of money your community spends on clean up costs each year.
Regardless of how you dispose of plastic bags, they end up blowing onto the street, clogging waterways, and infiltrating other natural environments. Not only is this an eyesore, but it also costs money to clean up.
The state of California spends $25 million to send plastic bags to the landfill each year. And that doesn’t include the $8.5 million spent on removing plastic bags from the streets. By using reusable bags, you are reducing the amount of taxpayer money that goes into litter clean up, leaving room for other community funded projects.
3.De-clutter Your House and Save Space
Plastic bags take up a lot of room and often clutter your household, car, and workspace. Think about it: If you take home 5 grocery bags worth of food a week, that comes out to 260 bags a year. And that’s only on groceries. Those plastic bags end up cluttering your kitchen cabinets, your pantry, and your car; wasting space for other, more important things other than trash that we can’t seem to part with.
Though larger than a plastic grocery bag, reusable bags can fold up and end up taking up significantly less space than your guilty storage of plastic bags. And as opposed to the 20 to 50 plastic bags floating around your house, you’ll have maybe three or four reusable bags to take their place.
4. Durability and Reliability
Unlike the flimsy plastic bag you receive from retailers, reusable bags are durable and can carry more at a time. Go ahead, fill up that cotton or hard plastic bag to the brim—it won’t break. That means less trips to and from your car and more to be comfortably carried at a time.
Their durability also prevents them from ripping or tearing. Say goodbye to spilled groceries, multiple trips, and double bagging.
And because they are reliable, you can use them for multiple purposes. Personally, I use my reusable totes for lesson plans, groceries, beach bags, and even as a purse. There are infinite uses to these convenient and packable bags.
5. Peace of Mind
Not only will you create more space in your home, but you’ll have peace of mind. Plastic bags are one of the top ten most common objects found in oceans and on beaches. An estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are used each year, and they’re ending up in oceans, soils, animals, and rivers.
Believe me, you’ll feel so much better once you stop accidentally collecting unnecessary plastic bags. Whether you’re aware of your consumption patterns or not, as you begin to see the waste disappear, you’ll feel it, and it feels great.
Think about your most essential daily activities. How many times do you come into contact with plastic before you even start your day?
Toothbrush. Toothpaste. Comb. Shampoo. Body wash. Loofa. Deodorant… okay I’m ready for a cup of coffee – hopefully you’re taking your own reusable cup to Starbucks.
Our biggest issue: Plastics have made so many aspects of our lives so convenient, it’s hard to imagine giving them up in hopes that it will be the difference that saves us from environmental catastrophe.
That’s why a key part of solving the plastic problem is finding innovative alternatives that support our expectations, but don’t trash our oceans. Rather than reinvent the wheel, eco-friendly alternatives seek to find sustainable solutions that fit our current needs without sacrificing convenience.
Plastic production has escalated from 15 million tons to 311 million tons in only fifty years and it’s estimated that 8 million tons of that find its way to the oceans each year. That’s enough plastic to cover every foot of every nation’s coastline with five grocery bags of plastic trash.
While innovation isn’t the only solution toward solving the plastic problem, it is certainly going to play an important role.
Learn more about the plastic problem and other ways we’re working to solve it here: Solving The Plastic Problem
Here’s where we are now and how much we might be able to expect innovation to help:
The Spectrum of Choices
Considering the fact that we rely on plastics for a wide range of uses in our daily lives, and that the aim of eco-friendly alternatives is to replace those uses, it is only appropriate that there is a diverse spectrum of products being offered. From caring for yourself, to eating and making your house a home, there’s a practical alternative for almost everything.
Personal Care
Bamboo toothbrush – one billion plastic toothbrushes are thrown out every year in the United States alone. That’s a lot of plastic! Bamboo is a becoming a popular alternative to plastic. It’s characteristics of being light, strong, and fast-growing make it a reasonable alternative to some plastic products.
Refill stations – some eco-entrepreneurs have expanded the retail landscape to include refill stations for soaps, shampoos, and other liquid necessities. BYOB (bring your own bottle) and prevent yourself from buying unnecessary containers every time you need more shampoo or body wash.
Feminine hygiene products – traditional tampons and pads contain plastic in both their packaging and the products themselves. This is harmful not only for the environment, but the individual too. There are a variety of organic and eco-friendly options out there now, including organic cotton tampons and menstrual pads, silicone menstrual cups, and reusable tampon applicators.
Dental floss – the majority of dental floss is made from nylon and plastic and packaged in an oversized plastic container. There are now some (not many…yet) alternatives that use organic, compostable alternatives such as silk, beeswax, and rice bran. If those don’t suit your needs, there are also traditional flosses being sold in cardboard boxes, eliminating plastic packaging waste.
Food
Reusable and biodegradable cups – rather than accepting that Starbucks latte in a traditional disposable cup lined with plastic, start bringing your own. It’s becoming just as convenient to bring a ceramic, glass, or bamboo cup. And there are now biodegradable alternatives as well.
Reusable and biodegradable bags – instead of grabbing a disposable plastic bag at the check-out counter, start bringing your own reusable tote, cotton or jute bags.
Reusable food storage – we all need viable options for storing food either on the go, for the fridge, or to preserve. There are now a variety of options to choose from to ditch traditional plastics such as reusable zip-top bags, reusable sandwich bags, silicone freezer bags, and even beeswax “cling wrap”.
Reusable straws – several campaigns have put their foot down when it comes to single-use plastic straws. But if you’re still yearning for that sweet sip of iced tea (or what ever your beverage of choice happens to be) through a straw, try purchasing straws made out of stainless steel, glass, or silicone that can be cleaned and reused.
Home Goods
Furniture – Much of the furniture in our households contains plastic or was packaged in plastic. Ecovative Design currently manufactures packaging from mycelium, the vegetative part of fungus, and farming by-products. They are in the process of expanding their business to include lamp shades, plant pots, and table tops.
Construction – Faux wood designs that were once only feasible with plastic molds, can now be created using Arboform, a thermoplastic deemed “liquid wood”. Made from wood by-products, this new innovation is being researched for toy production, golf tees, and even hi-fi speaker boxes.
Clothes and Fabrics – More and more we’re seeing clothes and fabrics made out of polyester, rayon, nylon, etc., that leave traces of microfibers on land and in the ocean. Up to 40% of these microfibers have the potential to reach rivers, lakes and oceans. Look for products made from natural materials, including cotton, silk, wool, linen, or hemp as an eco-friendly and, honestly, more durable and long-lasting option.
A wide variety of eco-alternative options are becoming more feasible and accessible as public scrutiny hones in on plastics. But how do these stack up in the grand scheme of our plastic problem?
Impact of Alternatives
Plastic is becoming such a significant problem environmentally because it accumulates at a faster rate than it can decompose or degrade. It takes plastic bottles 450 years or more to decompose, plastic bags up to 1,000 years, and styrofoam 1 million years.
Eco-friendly alternatives provide the same utility as plastics, but are able to biodegrade and decompose at a manageable rate. They are also usually less of a threat to human health.
Biodegradable plastics are made from organic materials, and as opposed to traditional plastics, biodegrade between 90 and 180 days when properly composted. On top of that, reusable alternatives displace plastics after every use.
Just by switching to a reusable water bottle, you can save 217 plastic water bottles in one year.
Are Alternatives That Much Better?
There is concern that eco-friendly alternatives may not be as beneficial to the environment as they are advertised.
Questioning the environmental impact of eco-alternatives vs traditional products is fair and healthy. Like peer reviewed studies in science, all innovations should be questioned, confirmed, and improved upon. Many individuals and organizations criticize the scalability and true environmental impact of “eco friendly” innovations.
As consumers trying to make the best decision, we have to consider the most credible information we have. Be wary of misinformation – some studies, reports, and information distributed come from sources with an agenda to support the plastics industry.
For example, in 2016, the American Chemistry Council released a study finding that alternative materials used for the same function of plastics would raise the environmental costs from $139 billion to $533 billion annually when consumption of natural water and emissions to air, land, and water are considered.
However, there are two main points we need to consider when assessing the validity of this information:
Motivation – the American Chemistry Council is an industry trade association whose mission is “to promote the interests of companies engaged in the business of chemistry” (Wikipedia).
Accuracy – studies like this tend to use the input variables to their advantage in order to provide a narrative that supports the goals of their stakeholders.
The study compares replacing plastic products such as plastic cups with alternatives made of aluminum or glass on a 1 to 1 basis. Glass and aluminum do require more energy input and natural resources than plastic. However, it is not realistic to replace single use products with reusable products on a 1 to 1 scale.
This study neglects a more realistic solution, where glass or aluminum cups are reused and each reusable cup displaces hundreds of single use plastic cups over time.
You can see a more accurate comparison of single use and reusable cups in this environmental impact evaluation, which calculates the breakeven point when replacing single use cups with reusable cups.
When compared fairly we find that many eco innovations are a better alternative. But how we use them is a critical variable. It’s not enough to just buy them with blind faith…
The Bottom Line
Do Your Due Diligence: Yes, we should be careful and not assume all innovations are an ultimate solution. Greenwashing is a valid concern and green products are not likely to magically solve the plastic problem (but they can play a big part).
Reduce: We need to be responsible about the way we use our alternatives. If you buy a reusable bag to replace plastic bags, or a reusable cup to replace disposable cups, treat it well and get as much use out of it as possible.
Support: Continue to support brands and industries that are actively working to innovate and solve environmental problems, not those who are trying to squeeze the last amount of profit they can out of an unsustainable industry.
Be Patient: Understand that we are still in the infancy stage of innovation. As eco-friendly alternatives gain more support from consumers, we’ll see better and more eco-friendly products.
Making a Difference
The best thing you can do to curb plastic pollution is stop using single use plastics.
When you can’t forego disposable goods completely, use the most sustainable alternative possible.
Benefits of using eco-friendly products:
1) Directly reduce the amount of plastic that is sent to the landfill or ends up in the natural environment.
2) Your support for responsible brands will fuel further innovation.
3) Your actions will help shift the cultural norm that merely accepts plastics as part of our daily lives despite their negative impact.
It’s becoming more and more common to see shoppers using their own cloth tote when they go shopping. Stores are beginning to pose the question, “Do you need a bag?” And many countries and companies around the world are looking to reduce their plastic use by taxing or banning plastic bags altogether.
When this happens, it leaves us with the option to either
a) pay the tax or added cost, or
b) invest in a reusable cloth bag.
But what makes cloth bags so much better than plastic?
Cloth bags are better than plastic bags for many reasons, but two of the biggest reasons are:
Cloth bags are reusable, decreasing the need to use more materials for single-use production, and
Cloth bags reduce plastic use and therefore plastic pollution
Reuse vs. Single Use
So what are we talking about when we say ‘cloth bags’?
Cloth bags refers to any reusable bag that is not made from HDPE plastic. This ranges from natural fiber totes, to recycled reusables, to backpacks and even upcycled DIY bags.
While yes, it technically takes much less energy and resources to produce an HDPE single use plastic bag than a reusable bag, those same resources are surmounted by the sheer magnitude of plastic bags necessary to keep up with their fleeting usefulness.
For example, we currently use 500 billion bags every year worldwide. And each one of those bags requires a significant amount of natural gas and crude oil to make. In the US alone, it takes twelve million tons of petroleum to meet the production of plastic bags for the country each year.
It also requires a significant amount of money and resources to clean up and dispose of these plastic bags. In 2004, the City of San Francisco estimated a price tag of $8.49 million per year in clean up and landfill costs for plastic bags each year.
The advantages of cloth bags are also compounded by their environmental impact. While yes, it may take up to 170 uses for a cotton bag to reach it’s “break even” number—the amount of times a bag must be used to balance it’s impact to manufacture—many reusable cloth bags are now being made from recycled materials, such as the Tern tote. These recycled, reusable totes are taking otherwise discarded plastic waste and producing long lasting, durable cloth bags that can be used for years to come.
What kinds of cloth bags can you choose from, and how environmentally friendly are they?
When it comes to reusable cloth totes, there are two main categories: natural and synthetic.
Natural fibers, such as jute, hemp, and cotton, are especially environmentally friendly when it comes to their ability to biodegrade after they’ve fulfilled their use. Jute and hemp are also economical to grow and cultivate, making them ideal plants to harvest for materials. Cotton utilizes large amounts of water to produce, making it a bit less economical compared to alternatives.
There are also many synthetic fiber bags to consider such as polypropylene, recycled PET, and polyester. Recycled bags, such as the Tern tote, are by far the most environmentally friendly and sustainable choice because they require less energy to produce, and they’re utilizing unnecessary plastic that would otherwise go to landfill. Additionally, polypropylene bags require only 14 uses before they become more eco-friendly than HDPE bags.
The breakeven usage number for recycled bags can be less than 2.
Reducing Plastic Pollution
Cloth bags, because of their reusable nature, help reduce the amount of single use plastic being used and inadvertently discarded into the environment.
It’s estimated that nearly 8 million pieces of plastic enter oceans every day.
One of the most impactful steps we can take as individuals is to reduce our use of single plastics and substituting disposable bags with reusable cloth bags is a great start.
Cloth bags are also multipurpose, which means that you could reduce your plastic use in many areas of your life. Many people associate cloth bags with grocery shopping, which is great. But, you can also use your tote as a bag for work, school, or a trip to the beach.There are many aspects of our lives where we can consciously cut down or eliminate our plastic use. One of the easiest and most impactful ways is to invest in a cloth bag. They’re economical, more sustainable, and might just give you the peace of mind that you’re preventing plastic pollution with every use.
So you’ve decided to kick the plastic bag habit – great news!
But won’t ditching plastic shopping bags make life difficult? Will it really have a positive environmental impact?
Luckily, there are lots of reusable grocery bags that don’t cost the Earth – and help make your grocery trips a breeze. Today, we’ll review some of the most common types of reusable bags so that you can find the best reusable grocery bags for you.
Key Considerations: Choosing the Best Reusable Grocery Bags
When making the switch from plastic shopping bags to reusable shopping bags, the main factors to look out for are convenience and sustainability. The best reusable grocery bag for you should meet your standards in both categories.
How convenient are the alternatives to plastic shopping bags?
You need a bag that does the job. Think about what you need a bag for – how much will it need to hold? Can it carry a heavy load? Does it match your personal style?
Consider how practical it is for you to use.
Large, bulky bags are fine if you always carry them in the car, but if it has to fit into your purse – or even your pocket – look for something lightweight that folds up small.
If it doesn’t fit your lifestyle, you’re less likely to use it. And that sort of defeats the purpose!
How eco-friendly are the alternatives to plastic shopping bags?
The more times you use your bag, the more eco-friendly it becomes. Each time you refuse a ‘free’ plastic bag you’re helping cut environmental pollution and plastic waste, so choose something durable.
A bag made from recycled, repurposed and/or recyclable material is a great choice, but beware!
Paper bags are often seen as a sustainable alternative to plastic, but they are likely to be used only once and then thrown away. Paper bags actually use more energy than plastic bags to manufacture and, although they can be recycled or composted, around 80 percent of all paper bags end up in landfill.
So what are the best reusable grocery bags that are convenient and eco-friendly?
Synthetic fabrics include any non-natural fabric, such as polyester or nylon. While these materials are often made from fossil fuels, synthetic reusable bags are still more sustainable than disposable plastic if you use them enough times.
Number of uses until break-even: You need to use a polyester bag around 35 times before it offsets the environmental costs of its production (and becomes more eco-friendly than a disposable plastic bag).
The key benefits of any synthetic fabric are its increased durability and strength compared to natural fabrics. You can count on a synthetic fabric like nylon or polyester to stand the test of time, meaning you may need to replace the bag less frequently. Synthetic fabrics are also highly elastic, which can give your bag a little stretch to squeeze in extra snacks.
The main drawback of synthetic fabric is that it’s still plastic-based, so synthetic bags are energy intensive to create and difficult to dispose of sustainably.
One of the most common types of reusable grocery bags made from synthetics are these convenient folding bags. Usually made from lightweight woven polyester or nylon, these bags fold up small enough to fit in a jeans pocket or on a keychain.
Key Benefit: A bag you can always carry with you will prevent you from ever having to use plastic. There’s nothing worse than getting to the store and realizing you’ve left your reusable bags back at home.
Potential Drawback: Due to the thin material that makes them so compact, they’re not always the strongest or most long-lasting bags, but they are super-convenient for impromptu shopping trips.
Consider how many plastic bags you think you can displace by owning a compact reusable bag. If it’s over 50 per year, you’re in the clear – it’s probably a good investment.
If it’s less than 50, you might be better off reusing disposable bags. Jam 1-2 in your purse, car door, or backpack. Use those instead of the new ones from the store.
Natural Fiber Reusable Bags
The next most common type of reusable grocery bag on the market are bags made from natural fibers like cotton, hemp, calico, or jute.
Shopping bags made from natural materials look great and are usually eco-friendly.
Pros:
100% plastic-free
Washable
Durable
Versatile: You can use them as a book bag, beach tote or everyday purse.
Cons:
Not always socially responsible
Can require over 100 uses before becoming truly environmentally friendly
The main criticism about natural fiber totes is that they are marketed as being environmentally friendly while many of them are not. Cotton bags, for example, are resource intensive to produce. Therefore they are not as eco friendly as some other alternatives like recycled materials.
Number of uses until break-even: You need to use a cotton bag 173 times before it’s more eco-friendly than a disposable plastic bag. Some estimates are even higher.
The string (or mesh) bag is a European classic – and one of the more popular bags made from cotton. Often seen in the markets of France, these knotted bags are very strong and durable. As well as grocery shopping, they make a rather practical beach tote – just don’t put your keys in there, as they’ll fall through the mesh!
A benefit of the string bag is that some use less material, can fold up smaller than fabric totes, and you get more style points.
Drawback: The same concerns apply to this bag as with other natural fiber totes.
If you’re serious about reducing your environmental impact, we recommend you choose one to two styles that work best for you and stick with it. If the conventional tote isn’t quite your style, the string tote is a good alternative.
Recycled Materials Reusable Bags
Finally, some of the best reusable bags are made from recycled materials. Let’s take a look at a few examples.
Recycled Fabric Reusable Bags
Products made from virgin materials, even if the materials are natural or eco-friendly, cost more to make from an environmental impact perspective. Since raw material production has a high environmental impact, you need to keep using these bags for a long period of time in order for them to become more environmentally friendly than disposable bags.
Totes made from recycled materials, on the other hand, can be more environmentally friendly than disposable bags even without high numbers of uses.
If you want to decrease your environmental impact as much as possible, do your due diligence before purchasing. Investing in a tote that is made from recycled or repurposed materials instead of virgin fabrics helps you become more eco-friendly even with your first use of the bag.
Cardboard Boxes
Chances are you’ve already experienced this at Costco.
It’s not glamorous, but using cardboard boxes to carry your shopping is much better than disposable plastic bags, as you get to give new life to something that would have been disposed of otherwise.
If you simply need to take your stuff from the shop to the car, and the car to the house, boxes will do the job just fine. Many stores and markets have them freely available, or you can save delivery boxes at home and take them with you. Reuse until they wear out then recycle them.
For bulk shoppers: Rather than buying a bulk reusable bag (usually made from vinyl) use cardboard boxes and recycle them when you’re done.
DIY Upcycled Bags
For the ultimate eco-friendly shopping bag, make your own using repurposed material. You can make a bag from an old t-shirt, a pair of denims, a pillowcase or any unwanted fabric such as a pair of curtains or bath towel; there are even some no-sew tutorials online you can find on YouTube.
Benefits: Unique, very eco friendly, and affordable.
Drawbacks: Requires a minimal level of sewing ability and time investment
You can also buy upcycled bags if you aren’t up for making your own. We recommend you ask a few questions to find out where the material came from, as not all ‘upcycled’ products for sale are genuine.
Other Reusable Bags
Finally, the most sustainable reusable bag for groceries is a bag you already own! Here are a few options.
Backpacks
If you have a backpack, why not take it shopping?
It’s probably not worth buying one specially for this need, since the materials and manufacturing process are not so eco-friendly, but a backpack is great for bringing heavy items home from the store. It also frees up your hands to carry extra bags – or allows you to cycle home.
Bike Panniers
Detachable panniers are a great alternative to disposable plastic bags. They are versatile and tough to forget if you’re taking your bike to the store…
Benefit: Biking + reusable bags is a double whammy!
Drawback: Only good for dedicated trips to the store.
You may need to also invest in a compact bag to carry with you for time when you’re already out and need to swing by the store to pick something up.
If you’re biking to the store less than twice per month, you might be better off just loading your groceries in a backpack and biking home. The more you use these alternatives the more eco-friendly they are, so keep that in mind when considering what is best for you and your goals.
What Will You Choose?
Start now by checking out some of the best sustainable reusable bags for groceries here:
When it comes to reusable grocery bags, there are so many options out there that it may seem a bit overwhelming. You have to consider which one is right for you: Do you need something small and compact so you can carry it with you everywhere? Or, do you need something large and durable for your big weekly grocery trips?
But you may also be thinking, “What is this bag actually made of?” Different reusable bags are made from different materials, and because of that, some are more environmentally friendly than others. So you may also be considering, “Is a cotton bag more sustainable than a polyester bag?” Or, “Is the hard plastic bag I want to purchase really that much better than a plastic grocery bag?”
Reusable bags, regardless of material, are going to create less of an environmental impact than the mass amounts of single use plastic bags that enter the environment everyday. But the difference in impact is actually quite surprising.
Regardless of type though, it’s always important to keep in mind that these bags are not meant to be single-use. The more times you use them, the more environmentally friendly they become.
We’ve compiled a list below of various fabrics and materials that are most commonly used to produce reusable bags. You’ll be able to determine which bags are made from what materials and the environmental impact of each type.
A great, natural option when it comes to eco-friendly reusable bags is a jute bag. Jute is one of the few alternatives to plastic that is completely biodegradable and has a relatively low environmental impact. Jute is an organic material that is mainly grown and cultivated in India and Bangladesh.
The plantrequires little water to grow, can grow in and actually rehabilitate wasteland, and reduces large amounts of CO2 due to it’s carbon dioxide assimilation rate. It is also extremely durable and relatively cheap to buy. The only downside is that it’s not very water resistant in its natural form.
Cotton Bags
Another option is a traditional cotton bag. Cotton bags are a common reusable alternative to plastic bags. They are lightweight, packable, and can be come in handy for a variety of uses. They also have the potential to be 100% organic, and they’re biodegradable.
However, because cotton requires so many resources to grow and cultivate, they must be used at least 131 times in order to outweigh their environmental impact.
Hemp Bags
Hemp is also a good natural alternative. Hemp bags are much stronger than cotton, durable, and can be machine washed. The plants themselves require little water, and one acre of hemp can yield up to 6 tons of fiber.
The only disadvantage to hemp bags are their travel footprint. Hemp cannot be grown in most Western countries and therefore must be imported. However, compared to other reusable bags, hemp is a fantastic low impact, organic material.
Synthetic Fibers
Polypropylene (PP) Bags
Polypropylene bags, or PP bags, are the bags you see at grocery stores near the check out isle. They’re durable reusable plastic bags that are designed for multiple uses. They can be made from both non-woven and woven polypropylene and come in a variety of colors and sizes.
While these bags are not compostable or biodegradable, they are the most environmentally efficient bags compared to traditional HDPE grocery bags. With just 14 uses, PP bags become more eco-friendly than single-use plastic bags. They also have the potential to be made from recycled materials.
Recycled PET Bags
Recycled PET bags, as opposed to PP bags, are exclusively made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) or recycled water bottles and containers. These bags, while still made from plastic, utilize the unnecessary waste from plastic water bottles and produce a wholly recycled, more eco-friendly, and useful product.
PET bags pack down into their own tiny stuff sack and can be used for years. They’re strong, durable, and from a resource point of view, have the lowest environmental footprint because they make use of otherwise disposable waste.
Polyester
Many fashionable and colorful bags are made from polyester. Unfortunately, polyester is also made from polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and unlike recycled PET bags, virgin polyester requires nearly 70 million barrels of crude oil each year to produce.
But on the plus side, each bag only creates 89 grams of greenhouse gas emissions, which is the equivalent to seven single use HDPE bags. Polyester bags are also wrinkle resistant, water resistant, and can be easily folded down to bring with you everywhere.
Nylon
Nylon bags are another easily packable reusable bag option. However, nylon is made from petrochemicals and thermoplastic—it actually requires more twice as much energy to produce than cotton and more crude oil to produce than polyester.
On the plus side though, nylon is extremely durable and long lasting. Therefore, if you invest in a nylon bag, you can use it for many years. There are also more and more recycling programs being established for nylon as well as more eco-friendly closed loop companies such as Econyl.
There are many options to choose from, but that doesn’t mean that choosing a reusable bag has to be confusing. As stated before, the more times you use a bag, the more environmentally friendly it becomes; so it’s important to find a bag that suits your personal needs.
You’ve probably seen and heard a lot about plastic lately, especially disposable plastic bags. We’ve been using them since the 1960’s, so why are plastic bags suddenly the bad guys?
Plastic use has become an epidemic: more than one trillion plastic bags are manufactured every year and they take up to a thousand years to disintegrate. What happens to all those discarded plastic bags and what harm do they cause?
Top three reasons to ditch the plastic
There are three main problems with plastic bags: they cause environmental harm, have a negative impact on our health and they cost money.
Environmental harm of plastics
You see them everywhere you go. Discarded plastic bags blow around in streets, parks and fields and float on lakes, rivers and shorelines causing an unsightly mess in the local neighborhood.
As well as looking ugly, plastic bags cause major environmental disasters. In 1989 and 1998 Bangladesh suffered catastrophic floods that submerged two thirds of the country. A major cause of the flooding was plastic bags clogging up the water and sewage systems.
Wildlife is also suffering the consequences of our discarded plastic bags in their environment. Plastic bags cause the deaths of more than one million sea birds every year and an estimated 100,000 dolphins, sharks, turtles and whales are killed by suffocating on or ingesting plastic bags.
Worse still, instead of decomposing, plastic breaks down into ever smaller pieces. It’s estimated that every square mile of ocean contains around 46,000 pieces of floating plastic, and 44 percent of all seabird species, 22 percent of cetaceans, all sea turtle species and a growing list of fish species have been documented with plastic in or around their bodies.
But it’s not only the disposal of plastic bags that’s a problem. Approximately 8 – 10 percent of the total oil supply is used to make plastic, with an estimated 12 million barrels of oil a year used to manufacture plastic bags used in the US. This industry creates greenhouse gas emissions and pollution, and contributes to global climate change.
Health impacts of plastics
Since we humans also live in the environment, our health is impacted by the environmental damage caused by plastic bags.
Incidents such as the Bangladesh floods have a major impact on human health, increasing the incidence of water-borne diseases and destroying crops, homes and infrastructure.
The small plastic particles that are accumulating in marine life are polluting our food chain. Plastic bags are a source of dioxin, an endocrine disruptor, which causes gender mutations in fish and in the animals that eat fish, like seals and polar bears. When we eat fish and seafood, we also absorb these plastic chemicals, some of which have been found to alter hormones or have other human health effects.
Costs of plastics
When they are handed out ‘free of charge’, retailers build the cost of plastic bags into their profit margins – so consumers are really paying for them anyway! A growing number of countries and cities have introduced a ‘plastic bag tax’, so it often costs a few cents extra to buy a bag, but this is an insignificant sum compared with the social and environmental costs.
The manufacture of plastic bags depletes the global supply of oil and hastens the onset of global warming, which threatens the sustainability of life on this planet – that’s a pretty big price to pay!
The global cost of removing all the discarded plastic bags from the environment is almost incalculable. In 2004, the City of San Francisco estimated the cost of clean-up and landfill for the 50 million bags used annually in that city alone as $8.49 million/year, or 17 cents per bag.
The cost of habitat loss due to our use of disposable plastic bags is also immeasurable. From areas of land and ocean used for oil extraction and refining, to landfill sites to dispose of our waste and the pollution of ocean environments, useful habitat for flora and fauna is being destroyed daily. The cost of losing species forever is largely unknown, but the value of nature’s ‘ecosystem services’, such as the pollination of crops and carbon sinks, has been estimated at between $2 trillion and $6 trillion.
No matter why you do it – do it!
The consequences of using plastic bags reach far beyond what we experience in our daily lives. Whether you do it for yourself or others, for your local environment or global ecosystems, for wildlife or for future generations, stop using plastic bags.
There are lots of great alternatives – see how you can change the world by changing your bag: Best Alternatives
WHAT ARE DISPOSABLE CUPS AND WHY ARE THEY SUCH A BIG PROBLEM?
Our love for coffee and other takeaway foods supports an enormous consumption of disposable cups around the world (billions every year).
It’s a growing environmental problem that deserves attention.
If you’re not 100% clear on why disposable cups are such a big problem, this post will help you understand what the issue is and why it’s important to understand it.
Why are disposable cups a problem?
We are producing and throwing away billions of disposable cups per year. Yes, billions.
It is estimated that in the US alone, we use over 50 billion coffee cups each year.
Both the production and disposal of cups have their negative impacts on our environment, contributing to global warming, pollution, and much more.
Production of Single Use Cups
The production of disposable cups relies heavily on natural resources. Over 20 million trees are cut down each year to produce single use paper cups.
The production of cups also requires quite a bit of energy input. Turning trees into paper and paper into usable cups requires a considerable amount of energy input – the source of which is almost exclusively fossil fuels.
It’s estimated that the production of every 4 paper cups results in one pound of CO2 emissions.
Unlike paper cups, plastic and styrofoam cups do not require the input of wood. However, both derivatives of oil, another finite resource with its own environmental impact.
There are a variety of issues contributing to the environmental impact of producing cups, but he biggest concerns are:
Natural Resource Use – Inputs for disposable cup production draw on finite natural resources.
Emissions – The energy used to produce the billions of cups per year results in greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming.
Disposal of Single Use Cups
Yes, it’s true – most single use cups can and should be recycled.
Paper cups are difficult to recycle because the majority of them have a thin plastic lining to keep liquids from saturating the paper part of the cup. This plastic lining is difficult to separate and most recycling facilities are not equipped to do this type of recycling.
Plastic cups can be recycled, but it depends on the type of plastic used. It is not safe to assume that all disposable cups can be easily recycled.
Styrofoam cups can be recycled by some facilities but only a tiny fraction are reclaimed. Most go to the landfill or incinerator. When in the natural environment, styrofoam will break down into smaller and smaller pieces but will persist in natural environments for over 500 years.
The result of our inability to recycle is a staggering amount of refuse.
Use of Disposable Cups
The biggest issue with the use of disposable cups is that they are made to last for only one use.
A lot of energy goes into creating them and disposing of them just for one coffee or soda that lasts less than an hour.
There are also rising concerns about the health implications of using disposable cups, especially for hot liquids. Plastics and other ingredients used in cups may be ingested along with your drink.
Why are disposable cups a problem: Quick Summary
Production – The production of single use cups is resource intensive and has various peripheral environmental impacts.
Disposal – Less than 1% of the cups produced are recovered and recycled. The rest are sent to landfills, incinerated, or pollute the natural environment.
Use – The use of some types of disposable cups may have a negative impact on human health.
What is the scale of the problem?
If we only look at coffee cups, we can get a glimpse into the extent of our disposable cup addiction.
Do these numbers seem ridiculous? They should, because they are. Remember, these statistics are just based on coffee cup consumption. This doesn’t even consider all of the soda, smoothie, and water cup usage.
Why should you be concerned?
If you aren’t already a little concerned about what this means for us as humans, consider how this may impact you personally.
Health
Direct Impact
Use of disposable cups may directly influence your physical health due to the plastic chemicals used in their production.
Indirect Impact
Pollution from manufacturing will influence global air quality.
Micro plastics can travel up through the food chain and into your diet.
Cost
Direct Impact
Some governments are starting to issue a tax on disposable cups to curb this growing problem which will be passed on to the consumer. (The UK has issued a 5p tax on single use bags and is expected to expand to taxing single use cups)
Some vendors such as Starbucks offer a discount for those who bring their own cup, helping you save money.
Indirect Impact
The cost of dealing with the disposal of this tremendous source of waste is paid for with tax dollars.
Environment
Direct Impact
Pollution from single use plastics is plaguing our natural environment, making our outdoor recreation less enjoyable.
Indirect Impact
If this problem doesn’t fall on your generation to clean up, it will fall on your children’s.
What can you do about it?
The biggest impact you can have is to change your personal habit so you reduce our reliance on disposable cups. Vote with your wallet to show support for a more sustainable future.
Reduce your dependence on single use cups by bringing your own reusable alternative and/or taking your drinks to go less often.
Know what a meaningful alternative to disposable cups really is. Not all recyclable and biodegradable claims are authentic.
Support efforts to solve this problem by giving your business to companies actively seeking a solution.
Before answering any questions it’s important to understand why this is even a debate. Varying opinions on whether disposable cups are worse or better for the environment than reusable alternatives stem from unfair comparisons.
A few reasons why people may be comparing apples to oranges:
Types – different types of disposable cups (paper, plastic, styrofoam) have varying impacts. Likewise, so do their reusable counterparts. This makes it difficult to make blanket statements like “all disposable cups are worse than reusable alternatives”
Focus – you can paint a different picture depending on which aspect of environmental impact you’re focusing on. Energy use, natural resource use, pollution, and emissions, are just a few of the different areas you can compare. To be fair, you have to consider the complete environmental impact of disposable vs reusable, not just one aspect.
Other – Other variables such as the technology used to manufacture the cup or how long it traveled to get the place of sale also change the environmental impact.
The Key Indicators of Environmental Impact
There are several variables to compare when it comes to rating the overall environmental impact of a product. Here are the main 3 areas and some of the considerations of each:
Production – What it takes to make the product
Input of energy and natural resources
Transportation of raw materials and finished product
Emissions and other pollutants from manufacturing
Use – How use of the product impacts humans or the environment
Impact on human health
Lifespan of the product
Environmental impact of use (if any) – example: washing of reusable cups
Post Use – How disposal of the product impacts the environment
Pollution of natural environment
Emissions from disposal (gasses from breakdown in landfill or incineration)
Cost of recycling
The total impact of a product can be calculated using our simplified formula:
Total Environmental Impact = Cost of Production + Cost of Use + Cost of Post Use
The Key Performance Indicators
There are also several different types of environmental impact. The most common types and the causes they are linked to include:
Emissions – global warming, air pollution
Natural Resource Use – deforestation, biodiversity loss, global warming
Pollution – biodiversity loss, degradation of natural environment
Some people may weight one factor as more important than another depending on their opinions of which environmental issue is most pressing.
The most common comparison for environmental impact is energy used to create, distribute, and dispose of the product.
Energy input is considered to be the primary indicator of environmental impact because it is tied to almost all other factors. It takes natural resources such as coal to create energy and once burned it contributes to emissions that fuel global warming.
In this comparison of disposable vs reusable cups I will draw from several studies about energy use in each phase: production, use, and post use.
It’s important to note that there are other considerations when buying a product such as the social responsibility of the company producing it. I’ll touch on these considerations in my summary.
Cost of Production
In general, producing one disposable cup has a lower environmental impact than producing one reusable cup or bottle.
Measurement of Energy Input Needed (kJ/Cup) to Produce 1 Unit:
Producing a styrofoam or paper cup requires much less energy input than reusable alternatives such as plastic, glass, or ceramic.
This probably isn’t a big surprise to you. Disposable cups are smaller, lighter, and easier to make, while their counterparts require more input of resources and energy.
Proponents of single use cups may stop here and claim that disposables are more energy efficient and therefore more environmentally friendly. But the most critical evaluation happens in the next two phases: Use and Post Use.
In general, when comparing 1 cup to 1 reusable cup, the production of disposable cups is in fact more eco friendly.
Cost of Use
It’s clear that the production of one disposable cup has a lower impact than one reusable alternative. But if you use over 300 disposables in a year, doesn’t that add up to be a greater impact than using only one reusable cup?
To calculate and compare the average cost of use for disposable cups vs reusables we have to answer one key question:
How many disposables are equal to the continued use of one reusable alternative?
The quick answer: this number ranges from 6 to 127 depending on various factors such as the type of reusable cup and how it is used.
Key Considerations – Washing Cups
A key factor in this aspect of the environmental impact of disposable vs reusable comes down to washing.
While disposables have no energy input necessary for their use, reusables do. In order to continue reusing a glass, plastic, or ceramic cup it needs to be washed which will contribute to its overall environmental impact.
Of course, there are different ways to wash cups and some are more eco friendly than others.
In general, washing by hand is more energy efficient than using a dishwasher. And washing with cold water is more energy efficient than washing with hot water.
The safest estimate to use is the energy use of a common household dishwasher.
Cost of Use: Summary
Considering the energy input to produce and to wash we can calculate a “break even” point, where using a reusable cup becomes as efficient as using a disposable cup.
The formula:
Break even number of uses = (Energy of Reusable cup)/(Energy of Disposable cup – Energy of wash)
The results:
Main Takeaways
Glass and plastic are the most energy efficient materials for reusable cups
When replacing paper cups it takes less than 20 uses to become more efficient
When replacing styrofoam cups (because energy input for this type is so low) it takes up to 127 uses
Most comparisons of disposable vs reusable cups end here. Although we’ve already determined that reusable cups are more eco friendly after continued use, we still don’t have the whole story.
What if all disposable cups are recycled and their materials are used over and over again?
We need to consider the environmental impact of disposal to have a complete understanding of how disposables stack up to reusables.
Cost of Disposal (post use)
The main factor to consider in disposal is how often cups are disposed of and how. Are they recyclable? What’s the impact of recycling them, sending them to the landfill, or other outcomes?
Are disposables recyclable?
Disposable cups are disposed of in mass and the most common type, used for coffee, are difficult to recycle. The vast majority of paper cups we use daily for takeaway drinks have a plastic lining in them that prevents to paper cup from becoming saturated and falling apart.
This plastic lining must be separated from the paper in the recycling process which makes recycling them difficult and costly. In fact, most recycling centers are not equipped to process them.
The result: Unfortunately right now only about 1% of disposable cups are recycled.
What is the cost of disposing single use cups?
It’s difficult to calculate the cost of disposing single use cups because of various scenarios. However, we should consider the following:
Collecting and transporting used cups is energy intensive (think trash trucks)
Once in a landfill cups may breakdown slowly in the right conditions but their plastics will take hundreds of years resulting in landfills that are wastelands
Greenhouse gas release from landfills is a major contributor to global warming
Cups that don’t make it to landfills pollute the natural environment
Incinerating disposable waste will recoup some of the energy but also results in emissions that contribute to global warming and air pollution
The sheer volume of disposable cups thrown away on a daily basis is hard to fathom (Starbucks alone produces 4 Billion each year)
How do reusables stack up?
Ceramic Cups – very little to no recycle potential but can last to thousands of uses if cared for and has little to no environmental impact in landfills
Plastic Alternatives – Many plastic alternatives can be recycled and will last for thousands of uses
Glass Cups – Can be recycled, will last for thousands of uses, and has little to no negative environmental impact in landfills
The bottom line
Reusable cups have a longer lifespan so their overall disposal impact is much lower than single use cups.
Most reusable cups can be recycled. Glass and ceramic are less of a threat to the natural environment because they will break down over time and do not contain synthetic chemicals, unlike styrofoam or the plastic lining of paper cups which do not biodegrade.
Disposal of single use cups poses other threats such as the cost of waste collection and the accumulation of these products in our oceans, when they are not taken to the landfill or incinerated.
OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF SINGLE USE VS REUSABLE
While it takes more energy to produce reusable cups, because they have a longer lifespan their overall environmental impact is much less than disposable cups.
Each type of disposable and reusable cup has its own variations in its impact on the environment. Some are better than others.
In general, the number of uses needed for a reusable bottle to be more eco friendly ranges from 6 to 127.
Reusable Options Overview
Glass cups are the best alternative. If you’re foregoing paper coffee cups by using a glass mug, you can be having a positive environmental impact in as few as 6 uses.
Reusable plastic cups are close behind glass. The break even point for reusable plastic cups can be as low as 7 uses.
Ceramic cups are also a good alternative but it will take more uses for them to become more environmentally friendly than disposable cups (as few as 15).
Disposable Options Overview: Plastic Cups vs. Paper Cups
If you need to use a disposable cup, you’re often left to choose between paper and plastic cups. As we discussed above, there are many factors that determine the true environmental impacts of each type of cup.
Paper cups can biodegrade. This lowers their environmental impact, as they breakdown over time, while plastic cups sit in landfills for years. However, the carbon footprint of paper cups is higher than plastic cups, and uses more energy to produce.
Plastic cups (especially Styrofoam cups, a type of plastic) do not biodegrade, but has a lower carbon footprint and uses less energy than a paper cup to produce.
Another disposable cup option is the reusable aluminum cup, which can be recycled over and over again, and is typically made with more recycled content than paper or plastic cups. However, aluminum production releases a large amount of greenhouses gases and waste.
Ultimately, there is no clear winner among disposable cups, as the biodegradability of paper cups is mitigated by the high energy costs to produce them.
While reusing glass cups is ultimately the most environmentally sound option, the best option for disposable cups is one made from recycled materials, which are environmentally beneficial as they use less raw material to produce.
Main Takeaway
When assessing the sustainability of disposable cups vs reusables, it’s clear that reusables are more eco friendly when used repeatedly.
Although the impact of the production of single use cups is lower than reusables, the impact of their use and disposal is much higher.
Every use of a reusable cup is one sip closer to a more sustainable world.
Is investing in a reusable bag really going to lower your environmental footprint?
In this post I will answer three main questions:
What’s the environmental impact of disposable bags?
What’s the environmental impact of reusable bags?
When are reusable bags better than disposable bags?
The basics of comparing disposable bags vs reusable bags
Before answering any questions it’s important to understand why this is even a debate. Varying opinions on whether single use plastic bags are worse or better for the environment than reusable alternatives stem from unfair comparisons.
A few reasons why people may be comparing apples to oranges:
Types – different types of disposable bags have varying impacts. There are many variations of both paper and plastic bags. There is even more variation in reusable bags. This makes it difficult to make blanket statements like “all disposable bags are worse than reusable alternatives”
Focus – depending on which aspect of environmental impact you’re focusing on, the results can vary. Energy use, natural resource use, pollution, and emissions, are just a few of the different areas you can compare. To understand the full cost, you have to consider the complete environmental impact of disposable vs reusable, not just one aspect.
Other – Other variables such as the technology used to manufacture the bag or how far it traveled to get the point of sale also changes the environmental impact.
They key indicators of environmental impact
There are several variables to compare when it comes to rating the overall environmental impact of bags. Here are the main 3 areas and some of the considerations of each:
Production – What is the impact of producing one bag
Energy input
Natural resource use
Transportation
Emissions from manufacturing
Use – How use of the product impacts humans or the environment
Impact on human health
Lifespan of the product
Environmental impact of use (if any)
Post Use – How disposal of the product impacts the environment
Pollution of natural environment
Emissions from disposal (gasses from breakdown in landfill or incineration)
Cost of recycling
The total impact of a product can be calculated using our simplified formula:
Total Environmental Impact = Cost of Production + Cost of Use + Cost of Disposal
The hot button environmental issues for bags
There are several different types of environmental impacts to consider. Some may be more important to you than others.
The most common types of environmental impact from products like bags include:
Emissions – global warming, air pollution
Natural Resource Use – deforestation, biodiversity loss, global warming
Pollution – biodiversity loss, degradation of natural environment
Some people may weight one factor as more important than another depending on their opinions of which environmental issue is most pressing.
The most common comparison for environmental impact is the product’s overall ‘carbon footprint’ which measures how much it contributes to global warming.
We’ve studied the impact of various types of grocery bags. Here’s what we found…
Defining Different Types of Bags
We’ve grouped types of grocery bags into two categories: disposable and reusable.
Disposable Bags
Basic Plastic (HDPE) – High Density Polyethylene – this is the lightweight single-use plastic bags you find at almost every grocery store.
Paper – Paper bags are less common than plastic bags but can still be found in some stores. They are the original “disposable” bag and are intended for single use.
Reusable Bags
Cotton – These bags are often referred to as “totes”. They are woven from cotton and are build to be reused many times.
Polypropylene – This is one of the most common types of reusable bags now being distributed by retailers. Made from a more durable plastic than the HDPE bag, this reusable bag is build to be reused many times and often has a rigid insert in the bottom for added strength.
THE ENVIRONMENTAL COSTS: DISPOSABLE VS REUSABLE
How do these different types of bags stack up?
A lifecycle analysis study conducted by the UK government that assessed the life cycle of these various types of bags provides some of the best data we have.
In this study they assessed the following aspects of each bag’s life:
Extraction and production of raw materials
The production process
Transportation to final destination
End of life – collection, landfill, incineration, etc.
Avoided products and recycling – the avoidance of virigin materials through secondary reuse or recycling
The results of this study is a comparison of the global warming potential (GWP) also referred to as the ‘carbon footprint’ for each type of bag.
Impact of Different Types of Bags
The environmental impact of 1 bag when looking at the total life.
Note: Cotton bags are not included in this graph. The study states that the global warming potential of cotton bags is more than 10 times the impact of any other bag.The Results:
Reusable bags require more material and more energy input than disposable bags which gives them a bigger environmental footprint when comparing them 1 to 1.
For 1 bag we can see that the standard disposable bags (HDPE) has the lowest impact.
But since the average person uses hundreds of plastic bags every year, we have to consider how many plastic or paper bags you displace by using a reusable bag.
Breakeven Uses: Disposables vs Reusable
When does a reusable bag become more environmentally friendly than a disposable bag?
To be more eco-friendly than a disposable plastic bag you would need to use these alternatives this many times:
Paper Bags: 4 Times
Polypropylenes: 14 Times
Cotton: 173 Times
Clearly, the more you reuse a bag, the lower its environmental impact.
Knowing this ‘breakeven’ number is important because it will help you to truly reduce your environmental impact.
Other Important Considerations
There are many variables to consider when trying to reduce your environmental impact that can effect your decisions.
Reusing Disposable Bags
When you reuse plastic bags multiple times (even if you use them as a trashcan liner) that will bring down their environmental impact. While the study we summarized in this article does take reusing and recycling into consideration, it’s important to for you to know that when you do not have the option to turn down plastic bags, reusing them is the best way to reduce their impact.
Other Materials
As this study proves, not all bags are made equal. If you can use repurposed or recycled materials to make your own tote, you will reduce your carbon footprint even more.
Using virgin materials will almost always have a larger impact on repurposing existing materials. Before you buy a reusable bag you may want to see if you already have a worthy substitute at home, or if you have a friend who already has too many…
Too Many Bags?
Reusable bags are becoming more popular and many brands give them out for free as promotional items. If you start to accumulate reusable bags you can actually increase your environmental impact.
Remember that the best way to reduce your impact is to use less and reuse as often as possible.
Key Takeaways
Producing 1 plastic bag has a relatively low environmental impact. The impact of this type of disposable bag comes from using so many of them.
Paper bags are only more eco friendly when reused 4 times or more.
Polypropylene bags are a good choice when considering a reusable alternative. After only 14 uses this bag is already more eco friendly than conventional plastic bags.
Cotton bags have a surprisingly high environmental impact because of the effort that goes into growing cotton and producing the bags. If you can keep this bag for a long time, it will be more eco friendly than plastic bags, but it requires over 173 uses to break even.
The more times you use a bag, the more environmentally friendly it becomes. Take care of your bags and don’t accumulate more than you need.
Learn more about the plastic problem and how we can solve it:
Plastic bags are ubiquitous and most people don’t question it. Why?
Less than 50 years ago plastic bags were a rarity. Now you it seems like you can’t buy anything without it being carried out in a branded plastic bag.
If we can understand how we got ourselves here, maybe we can find a way to get ourselves out.
What Are Single-Use Plastics and When Were They Invented?
Single-use plastics are plastics that are designed to be used only once or for a very short period of time, and then thrown out.
Single-use plastics may be used to create everything from wrappers to plastic cups to plastic bags. Unfortunately, the convenience of single-use plastic comes at the cost of the environment.
All disposable plastic bags are considered single-use plastic. Polyethylene (the most common type of plastic used for disposable bags) was first created in 1898 but it was not until the mid 1950s that a high-density polyethylene was invented. High density polyethylene was the “breakthrough” that enabled the production of cheap, yet strong plastic bags.
Single-use plastic shopping bags first appeared in the U.S. in 1979, and were subsequently picked up by several large grocery store chains.
This seemingly simple invention changed the way we shop and had unimaginable consequences for our natural environment.
A Brief History of Disposable Bags
Polyethylene is invented
Polyethylene is the most common type of plastic for disposable bags
1933
High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is invented
HDPE gives plastics the strength they need to be light, moldable, and still strong.
1953
Karl Ziegler wins the Nobel Prize for chemistry
Karl Zeigler, one of the chemists who invented HDPE won a Nobel prize for chemistry in 1965. Plastic was a highly guarded secret when first invented as it was used by the US military during WWII as an insulating material which allowed them to place radar into airplanes for the first time.
1965
Modern plastic bag is invented
The plastic bag we use today is invented by the Swedish company Celloplast.
1965
Dixie Bag Company begins manufacturing plastic bags
The Dixie Bag Company begins manufacturing and marketing plastic bags as an alternative to the then-used paper bags in grocery stores.
1980s
Safeway and Kroger adopt plastic bags
Grocery chains Kroger and Safeway replace their paper bags with plastic.
1982
Plastic bags become the norm
It didn’t take long for grocers and department stores to realize that plastic bags were stronger and cheaper.
1982 and beyond
Plastic’s Rise to Dominance
Disposable plastic bags became so popular so fast mainly because of their convenience.
Before plastic bags, there was paper. Paper bags worked but they were not easy to carry and they weren’t nearly as strong as plastic. The most important part… paper was more expensive to produce than plastic.
The plastic bag not only made life easier for the consumer, it also saved retailers money.
Although we see the downsides of plastic bags today, you can see why at the time they were adopted so rapidly.
The Problem We Didn’t See Coming (or Didn’t Care To See)
The problem with plastic that wasn’t considered at the time, is its impact on our environment and how that inevitably impacts us.
High-density polyethylene’s application to plastic bags may have benefited the consumer and the retailer, but the environmental ramifications of widespread use are disastrous.
There are a host of issues caused by plastic bags that directly impact humans. The main issues are:
Environmental – from its contribution to global warming to massive ocean pollution, plastic bags have become one of the largest environmental issues of our time.
Health – plastics are made of synthetic molecules that can have negative impacts on our health and ramifications of environmental degradation are also taking their toll on human health.
Cost – the cost of disposal and clean up of plastic bags comes back to the tax payer.
Plastic bags have risen to dominance because of the need for a cheap and useful way to transport goods. Unfortunately, we are now paying the price with environmental degradation and the health implications that result.
Although most of this transition was out of the hands of the consumer, our transition to a more sustainable future very much is.
Now that we understand the impact of our disposable bag use, it’s up to us to find and use alternatives.
The plastic bag revolution started with an invention and proliferated one bag at a time as consumers found it more useful. Now it’s time for a replacement. Here are a few options: alternatives to plastic bags.
