In the United States:
•According to the Environmental Protection Agency, over 380 billion plastic bags, sacks and wraps are consumed in the U.S. each year.
•According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. (Estimated cost to retailers is $4 billion).
•Four out of five grocery bags in the U.S. are now plastic.
•The average family accumulates 60 plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store.
So I guess 8 isn’t so bad when you look at the facts. Now I want to come clean that the number 8 only includes bags that my husband and I ourselves have brought home. I have had people give me things for the kids in plastic bags-AHHHHHHHHHHHH- I didn’t count those bags. I have although given repeat offenders canvas bags. We’ll see if this works.
Anonymous says
Milena-I have been really trying hard to dot his as well. Dominic did a science fair project on recycling and we really learned a lot together. One of the suggestions is it is OK to use the plastic bags if you reuse them at least a few times. So if someone gives you something for the kids in the bag-be sure to send someone else home with the bag the next time you are ready to pass something on. Or use it as a garbage bag, or a lunch bag, or a snack bag. KWIM
Milena says
I definately reuse the bags I've been given or accumulate, but it's still a plastic bag. So it's not really OK in my eyes, the end result is the same whether I use the bag once or 12 times. I'd like to think we all do our best, but if I never had the bag to begin with I would find alternatives for garbage or lunch bags. Thanks for sharing it sounds like a great science fair project!