It's in the Bag

When it comes to the question of paper or plastic, I always say, "Neither, thank you."

This week’s green tip is quite possibly the easiest tip we will offer, packing some of the greatest environmental punch. 

Ditch the plastic grocery bags in favor of reusable canvas or cloth bags for grocery shopping. 

If the thought of not having all of those plastic grocery bags cluttering up our closet isn’t enough to sell you on the idea, try this on for size. Those little plastic grocery bags, when multiplied by an estimated 8 billion pounds used each year, take up a huge amount of space in the world’s landfills.

While there, it takes them an estimated 1,000 years to biodegrade. They negatively impact ocean and marine wildlife by breaking down into small pieces and entering rivers, lakes and streams, where marine animals commonly mistake them for food. Once swallowed, they can cause choking or intestinal blockages that can lead to death. 

Green grocery bags are everywhere. You can spend a lot or a little, and they come in a variety of shapes, sizes, colors and patterns. You can even purchase them in line at the grocery store. Most places sell inexpensive canvas bags for around $1 apiece. Each of these bags hold roughly double what a traditional plastic shopping bag holds.

And as an added incentive, most grocery stores will offer you around 5¢ per bag off of your grocery purchase. 

If you are trying to take small steps to going green at home, reusable shopping bags are a real no-brainer.