Americans alone use 1 MILLION plastic bags per MINUTE.
Only up to 1 in 200 plastic bags gets recycled. Even that is an optimistic estimate.
THAT is NOT sustainable.
Where do the rest go?
Plastic bags are in the wild because they escape the landfill and dump trucks in droves! They are also otherwise littered in many ways, and they are total devastation for ecosystems and innocent wild animals. Sea turtles,whales, and other beautiful animals eat them and die slowly, many others get caught inside them and suffocate or get strangled- a slow, scary, and painful death.
I have put together a very sobering slideshow about the dangers of plastics in nature. VIEW THE SLIDESHOW HERE.
It is really time to re-think our entire plastics situation here on Earth!
Have you noticed there is like, a three-item rule or something when cashiers bag your purchases? Ok, actually there was an unofficial “rule for customer convenience” at some point in the not so distant past. And yes, Walmart got sued for NOT double bagging. Holy cow.
The “no bag for me today” communication/ store clerk interaction.
I can categorize the different types of interaction as follows:
1) Completely inconsequential
2) Enlightening to pleasant
3) A bit like you are supervising
4) Downright awkward
Assume that it could be some combination of the above, usually a combo of #3 and some other one. It’s all good. It’s just a way of life- a calculated gamble every time you meet a new clerk.
I’ve joked with some clerks about the need to bag things being something of a nervous habit- something to do with their hands while the customer (that’s me) takes forever. They have honestly told me that!
TOO many bags!
If you have forgotten your bags or run out of bags at the checkout register, DO NOT GIVE IN! this is what you do:
Empower yourself! It’s fun and easy and starts someone new thinking. Your publicly opting out of plastic bag use may”plant a seed” as they say, in the clerks mind- or the customer behind you. I have watched this happen. They secretly wish they were you, so be a great role model!
Here it is.
Up the ante on yourself- start playing a new game. This is the fun part!
Maybe you take the whole basket full of unbagged groceries all the way to the car?
Is there a box nearby from stocking the shelves that is recycle bound? You could use it to get your items home…
Do you have a big huge purse that would fit your purchase? Start stuffing!
Or maybe you just want to see how much you can actually juggle to the car today… This is my personal favorite! I seriously love stacking things especially! Like I said- a game! But stay smart! I cannot be held responsible for dropped items. 😉
Clothing purchases can be thrown over your arm or shoulder- lots of them at the same time! Or folded into a neat pile to carry out.
Think of new ways to say “nanny nanny boo boo” to the plastic bags that are taunting you! You are the superhero, and they are your enemy. The plastics industry has lobbyists that keep this on lock down- the lobbyists are paid greatly to ensure that plastic bags won’t get completely banned anytime soon.
Your best tactic is to cut them off at their life force: starve them out of existence. You can do it, superhero! Tiny wins aren’t so tiny when they literally save lives.
It feels like a win, every time… Now onward, into the future! I think I might actually get a rush off of not using plastic bags… tmi?
SHARE your own anti-bag ideas of all shapes and sizes~!! Come on over to our facebook group, teaching dogs to recycle!
Pics of awesome vintage bags or big huge purses?? Share on FB also!
