Reusable Bags News

Have you remembered to BYOB in 2010?  This is a question everyone must ask themselves. We are halfway through 2010 and there has never been a more crucial time to bring your own reusable green bags. When you BYOB, rather than using single-use plastic or paper disposable bags, you immediately become a part of the solution to the massive urban litter problem associated with disposable shopping bag waste.  As of June 23rd 2010, it is estimated that nearly 238 billion plastic bags have been consumed in 2010 alone.  What’s even more alarming is the impact that plastic and paper disposable bags are continuing to have on the environment.   As we continue to follow the progress of large-scale efforts to reduce the use of plastic and paper disposable bags and the associated waste, we’ll find that many options are available to all of us individual consumers in order to make sure we are a part of the solution to this problem.

The good news is that BYOB momentum is growing rapidly in 2010.  If you haven’t heard yet, the California legislature has proposed a bill; AB 1998 (to be voted on by the Senate in August), which would ban single-use bags sold in supermarkets, drugstores, convenience, and liquor stores and take full effect by 2013.  Even “The Governator”, Arnold Schwarzenegger, said that he would sign the bill if it makes it to his desk.   This would be a gigantic victory for all friends of the environment to have the most populated state, in the 3rd largest country in the world, to put a ban on single-use plastic bags. Considering that China first cracked down on plastic bags in 2008 and Ireland legislative efforts to reduce plastic bag usage began in 2002, it is so wonderful to hear that California lawmakers have brought this bill to the table.

In the USA, cities from San Francisco to Los Angeles to Washington DC have passed or enacted laws that either tax consumers for the use of plastic bags or ban them altogether, but California would be the first US state to take action if this bill were to pass.  Believe it or not, even legislators from the state of Texas have proposed legislation that would add a 7-cent tax per single-use bag.   It’s so exciting that there’s a possibility that both Texas and California could soon have laws in place to fight the plastic bag epidemic.  Efforts by individuals and governments to reduce large-scale use of disposable shopping bags is a great way to motivate people and spread the word about the positive benefits of eco friendly reusable bags.

Plastic bags can take up to 1000 years to biodegrade completely, and before that it just breaks down in to smaller and smaller toxic pieces that end up in our food, water, and soil. Biodegradable bags are a great alternative, once discarded in landfill sites, the exposure to sunlight, oxygen and heat will convert these bags into water, carbon dioxide, mineral salt and biomass. Like a fallen leaf, it will disappear over time and leave NO HARMFUL RESIDUE in the soil.  Plastic bags end up in our landfills and often get tangled and cause permanent damage in waste management machinery. Millions if not billions of other bags end up as urban litter and usually find their way in to rivers, lakes, streams, and the ocean.  Animals, especially marine animals, get entangled in plastic bags, and/or ingest them and often suffocate or starve to death.

So the solution brings us back to BYOB, which is incredibly easy. Just remember to use eco friendly reusable shopping bags or wholesale recycled bags, or reuse an old bag, period. Be sure to keep extra reusable bags in the trunk of your car or in your backpack, because you’ll want to make sure they are accessible when you need them.  You can also give them to your friends as a reminder to BYOB.  Of course, always remember to recycle whenever the opportunity presents itself, recycling is always a victory for the environment.  Adopting a BYOB habit in our individual lives and businesses is really the best way to ensure we are truly part of the solution rather than the problem.  Now is the time to go out and lead by example.

The recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is a huge wake-up call for all of us.  We all must carefully consider the devastating impact that the actions of corporations and individuals are having on our world’s eco-system. Much has been written and will continue to be written about BP and the public relations nightmare it caused itself through the epic oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  But you may not know that there’s another ongoing environmental controversy centered around the issue of deforestation and a company called Asia Pulp and Paper (APP).   Businesses and organizations everywhere can learn a great lesson from the situation APP finds itself in. APP is a division of the mega corporation, Sinar Mas, and calls itself one of the world’s leading pulp and paper companies.

APP has recently been linked to being a major contributor to deforestation. Deforestation, the human-caused disappearance of naturally occurring forests by logging or burning, is a huge problem in today’s world.   It is estimated that around 50% or more of the world’s plants and animal species live in the 7% of the world where rainforests currently exist.  For example, the most famous of rainforests, the Amazon, a majestic 1.4 billion acre (5.5 million square kilometers) rainforest located in South America covering sections of 9 different countries, has only 82.3% of the moist broadleaf forest cover it had in 1970.   It is also estimated that between 1991 and 2000, the total loss of Amazon rainforest increased from 415,000 square kilometers to almost 600,000.  The data above is according to Wikipedia.com.

Another lesser known but equally struggling rain forest, the Indonesian rainforest, has made recent headlines after a report from Greenpeace.  In the report, Greenpeace accuses Asia Paper and Pulp of “relentlessly trashing rainforests, driving species extinction and, if left unchecked, will threaten Indonesia’s efforts to address climate change.”  APP is a division of the mega conglomerate, Sinar Mas, and calls itself one of the world’s leading pulp and paper companies.  According to CNN.com, Indonesia is one of the world’s biggest culprits of emitting greenhouse emissions largely because of the clear-cutting and burning of rainforests for logging and other purposes.   Indonesia has long been a recipient of criticism for its environmental practices mainly because of disregard for international and even their own laws. APP is currently going through a public relations nightmare due to the Greenpeace report, and of course is claiming Greenpeace’s claims are exaggerated.  Yet things recently took a turn for the worse for Sinar Mas when in July, 2010 Wal-Mart, already becoming a major advocate for transitioning its customer base to the use of sustainable green bags)announced it has “taken steps to stop” buying their paper, as a result of this and other controversies surrounding APP.  Sounds like APP’s denial of the problem is making things worse and now costing them major business.  The loss of Wal-Mart’s business over the next year will significantly impact their bottom line.

This brings us to a great question: In today’s difficult world-wide economy, how can business’s ensure they are adopting environmentally-friendly and energy efficient business practices and not on the wrong side of a PR controversy?   Business.Gov, the official business link to the US Government, has an 11-step guide to help companies ensure they are energy efficient, compliant with environmental regulations, and recognized as a “green business”.

Here are the steps (Click here to visit their site):

1 – Comply with Environmental Regulations

2 – Develop an Environmental Management Plan

3 – Build Green

4 – Buy Green Products

5 – Adopt Energy Efficient Practices

6 – Reduce, Reuse

7 – Recycle Wastes

8 – Conserve Water

9 – Prevent Pollution

10 – Create a Green Marketing Strategy

11 – Join Industry Partnership and Stewardship Programs.

Step 4 “Buy Green Products”, is a great suggestion that many companies fail to consider.   A unique way to raise awareness about deforestation while promoting your brand is through eco friendly promotional products like seed paper, which is made of actual seeds and can still germinate and sprout into a flower when planted.  Something as simple as seed cards such as a seed business card or a seeded thank you card can create a truly memorable interaction with a client or industry colleague.  You could also include a statement about deforestation on the stationary, making it absolutely clear about where your company stands on environmental issues.  Another one that stands out on this list is step 6, “Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Wastes”. Remembering to reduce and reuse is the best way to eliminate the need to recycle in the first place.

Now is the time to take action to stop deforestation as well as ensuring your company is recognized as a “green business”, thus solidifying your green reputation.  The 11 steps above are a great guide for any business owner or CEO to implement green practices in your business.   Embrace the challenge of perpetually improving your organization’s environmental footprint.  Your company’s leadership and example will help stop the devastating effects of deforestation and the investment will be well worth it.

What is the big deal when it comes to disposable shopping bags?  You may have heard in the news over the last several years that we need to think twice about using plastic and paper grocery bags.  But why?  Why should you go out of your way to avoid using disposables, and start using eco friendly reusable or recycled grocery bags?  Before buying into any movement or cause, it is important to know exactly how your actions will make a positive impact on the environment and our world.  Today, we will go over some key environmental issues and problems associated with disposable shopping bag usage.

The Environmental Literacy Council does a great job of explaining the negative effects of both plastic and paper disposable bags at EnviroLiteracy.Org.  Let’s start with the environmental impact of manufacturing plastic and paper bags in the first place.  Plastic bags are produced using oil, and so the environmental consequences of production includes everything from extracting the oil, to the separation of products in the refining process, to the plastic manufacturing process, and the energy used and emissions created to distribute the bags to retailers.  So in reality, the production of plastic bags (caused by our demand as consumers) is a contributing factor to our dependence on oil.  Paper bags, are of course made from trees and contribute to worldwide deforestation and reduction of habitats all over the earth.  Also, the amount of energy used to manufacture and distribute paper bags and the carbon emissions created even exceeds that of plastic bags.  The truth is that neither paper nor plastic bags are a healthy product for our environment, especially compared to eco friendly reusable shopping bags.

Of course, as you likely know, another major issue with disposable bags is the widespread pollution and litter problem, especially associated with plastic bags.  Plastic bags have evolved to become the “modern tumbleweed”.  They show up everywhere and often end up in ponds, streams, rivers, lakes and in the ocean.  While researching this article I came across some startling information at 5gyres.Org, which educates people regarding the 5 gyres in our world’s oceans.  Here’s an excerpt:  “At sea floating plastics are swept up into slow moving currents.  These currents are called ‘gyres’.  Our Oceans are dynamic systems…. made up of complex networks of currents… Large systems of these currents, coupled with wind and the earth’s rotation, create ‘gyres’, massive, slow rotating whirlpools in which plastic trash can accumulate.”  The most famous of these is the North Pacific Gyre, which has also been called the “great pacific garbage patch”, has been researched the most and is an accumulation of trash and plastic estimated by many to be twice the size of Texas.  What most people don’t know is that there are actually 5 gyres spread throughout our world’s oceans where trash, and especially plastic is accumulating at a fast rate.  One of the scariest parts about all this is that marine animals often ingest this waste floating in the sea and suffocate or starve to death as a result or then WE humans turn around and eat these fish (and the plastic).  By using biodegradable bags, as opposed to disposable paper or plastic bags, our individual actions contribute to the solution rather than the problem.

The environmental crisis our world finds itself in today demands that we take action.  As you can plainly see, the widespread use of disposable shopping bags contributes to major environmental problems that are not going away.  We must change our individual habits by remembering to use eco shopping bags and/or reusable green bags every chance we get.  When we take a stand against the widespread pollution problem caused by disposable shopping bags, we are creating a healthier world one decision at a time.

Recycling is a great reclamation for our planet and for the environment.  But can recycling alone solve our waste problems in America?  The answer is a simple “no”.  There are many reasons why recycling alone will not be able to resolve all our waste problems.  If producers and manufacturers are not working cooperatively with consumers and partnering with waste management facilities to ensure there is a reasonable and accessible method for consumers to recycle the products sold to them, then it significantly reduces the chances that the products will be properly recycled at all.   We have to tackle waste problems at their source and so it is the corporations that produce the products that must play the biggest role in reducing the waste problems in our country and our world.

The Texas Campaign For The Environment (TCE), a non-profit, has recently brought this issue to center stage.   TCE basically says that manufacturers have to take responsibility for the full life cycle of their products.   They emphasize our current system of  “produce it, consume it, toss it out” must be redesigned to reduce and eliminate waste at its source.   If you think about it, it makes so much sense.  It is almost as if manufacturers get a “free pass” in our current system, leaving the responsibility for recycling largely in the hands of consumers.  Now of course, you would think consumers will always be ultimately responsible for recycling, since producers cannot force someone to recycle their products.  However, TCE points out that there are many “Zero Waste’ proponents who are pushing environmental laws for landfills which will create “producer take-back” programs.  This would force manufacturers to work with waste management companies and government agencies to recover and recycle their products. When it comes to long-term progress in reducing the harmful effects of landfills on the environment, this approach may make the most sense.

In the absence of  “producer take-back” laws, TCE is doing everything they can to be a great tool for consumers.  TexasTakeBack.org (funded by TCE), is a great guide to recycle just about anything from glass, styrofoam, household chemicals, pharmaceuticals and so much more.   Considering TCE (a non-profit organization), is making such a valiant effort to resolve our country’s waste management issues, it is time for the “for-profit” corporations to step up.

What is your company or organization doing to ensure your products are recycled after consumption?   In this time of great change in our world, and from a public relations stand point, it is imperative that your company clearly stands out as a green ambassador.  You can’t wait until you’re in the midst of an environmental controversy to begin your path as a green company (see BP).  It just doesn’t’ work that way.  You can’t run away from this issue. Your company must start now to do everything in its power to ensure you’re going green in all phases.

This is especially true with your products, which often have your company’s brand name on them, and which will be easily identified when wasted.   To begin with, ask yourself if your consumers will easily be able to recycle your product.  Ask for feedback from your customers, blog about it and show the world you are actively working towards a solution to making sure all your products are recycled.

Another great method to show the world your commitment to go green is through giving out eco promotional products like eco friendly pens, eco lanyards, custom promotional bags and wholesale recycled bags with your brand name on them.  These kinds of products are truly eco friendly and will not harm the environment if wasted.   Create a reoccurring community service event with your employees and plant some trees or pick up trash around town for a few hours on a monthly basis.

These are just a few small examples of the kinds of efforts companies and organizations can make in order to help ensure the continuity and success of the green movement.  When it comes to going green, consumer consciousness is at an all time high in our country and in the world, especially after the recent Gulf Oil Disaster.  Stay ahead of the tide, and take some advice from TCE by making sure you and your company are going green now.

What does green mean? It used to be a color, but now “The Green Movement” is a historic environmental revolution. The green movement in America has a long history that dates back to the 1830’s and 1840’s when intellectuals of the era began questioning the negative environmental effects caused by the actions of governments, industry and society as a whole. With the onset of the industrial revolution and ever increasing evidence of a serious problem at hand, the green movement began to grow in popularity.

After the 2nd World War, a wider awareness of environmentalism began to take hold in the collective consciousness of society. One of the primary causes was the population explosion that was occurring on the planet. Well-known scientists began to publish works that drew attention to growing pressure on the world’s natural resources as a result of human activities. During the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s, events such as highly publicized major oil spills in England and Santa Barbara, humans being exposed to radioactive materials resulting from irresponsible tests of the H-Bomb, nuclear proliferation as a whole, photos of earth from space, and new government agencies designed to protect the environment greatly increased public awareness.

Today, public awareness of the green movement is at an all time high. The rise of social media has increased communications and the exchange of information and ideas like never before. Global Warming has taken center stage and films such as Al Gore’s “An Inconvenient Truth” have helped cement this issue in our social consciousness. Still, as the planet approaches a population of 7 billion humans, many of the world’s most brilliant scientists are warning that if much more is not done, the human race itself faces extinction.

Professor Peter Barrett, a top New Zealand researcher recently stated “After 40 years, I’m part of a huge community of scientists who have become alarmed with our discovery, that we know from our knowledge of the ancient past, that if we continue our present growth path, we are facing extinction,” Barrett said. “Not in millions of years, or even millennia, but by the end of this century.” The basis for Barrett’s claims are based on the findings of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a group of 1000 scientists from 100 nations and can be viewed at http://dc.indymedia.org/newswire/display/114245/index.php .

It is no fun to hear this kind of news. But it’s becoming obvious we all need a greater sense of urgency. So what can you do to go green? It all starts with individual habits. Recycle everything you can. Only buy organic. Get an electric car or hybrid car or get rid of your car and live a more simple life. Use green bags, reusable green bags, or green shopping bags, rather than disposable plastic or paper bags. Make a decision to only do business with companies who are truly making an effort to go green and reduce their carbon footprint. In a capitalist economy, how you choose to spend your money is as important as voting on election day. Giving a dollar to a corporation, is like saying “I approve of what you’re doing”. Start a blog and educate and inspire people through your writing and tell them about what you’re doing in your own life to go green. Help take the green movement to a whole new level. Be a part of history.

The fall equinox has arrived again, and the days are getting shorter, but for the team at Factory Direct Promos, the most critical time of the year is just beginning. The year of 2010 has been a timely reminder for all those who care deeply about the environment.  From the tragic Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill to further increases in average daily temperature resulting from Global Warming, increased pollution, and a human population that is growing exponentially, there has never been a more important time for individuals and organizations to take action by contributing to the solution, rather than the problem.

Jason Tunick, owner of Factory Direct Promos, which is a leading supplier of green promotional products for businesses, sees this devastating trend and wants to see monumental paradigm shifts in the way we treat our planet. Since 1996, FDP has been committed to finding and using renewable resources in their design, development and manufacturing of premium eco friendly promotional products to help countless companies improve their brand and image, while also helping create a clean and healthy planet for current and future generations.  Jason explains that the last quarter of the year is the best opportunity for individuals and organizations to reduce their overall negative impact on the environment.

Biodegradable Bags & Promotional Products

“We can’t underestimate how much we can accomplish as individuals and collectively in the final quarter of 2010.   The facts remain that our planet is in an environmental crisis, and it is with our collective individual actions that we can make our planet a better place one decision at a time.  For example, we can choose to use reusable green bags when shopping instead of a plastic bag that will just end up in a landfill. I got into the business to business realm because I saw an opportunity to help companies promote their brand while also raising awareness for these critical environmental issues our society is facing today.  With the approaching holiday season, the sky is the limit for the amount of people businesses can reach before this year is over.”

FactoryDirectPromos.com features over one hundred eco promotional items such as stainless steel water bottles, non-woven polypropylene reusable shopping bags, RPET recycled grocery bags, bamboo pens, seed paper notebooks, recycled plastic USB drives, seed paper products, 100% biodegradable corn products and more. He has just extended a full line of biodegradable bags comprised of jute, cotton, bamboo and other organic materials.  As opposed to traditional waste, when biodegradable materials are exposed to sunlight, oxygen and heat, they are converted into water, carbon dioxide, mineral salt, and biomass. This means that no harmful residue will remain in the soil once discarded in a landfill or anywhere else.  Eco bags are very fashionable and last a lifetime. By branding eco products, businesses can empower their customers, employees, vendors, partners and colleagues to go green.

These durable promotional products can be custom imprinted with your company logo, message and with many products, even your colors. Check out the brand new “yourBag” customization page on FactoryDirectPromos.com to embroider your personality and company mantra on each bag or bottle. This section allows you to choose your bag material, size, colors and patterns, as well as the choice of adding features like handle type, handle length, velcro, snaps, zippers, pockets, and attachments such as carabiners, lanyards and keychains.   This gives business owners all the power in creating a bag that is best for your company and target audience.  Jason is able to provide a quick turnaround time these imprinted custom bags of 60 days, while in-stock reusable promotional bags are shipped within a week.  There’s also a “yourBottle” section (similar to yourBag) which allows you to design custom stainless steel reusable water bottles for your organization.  Visit http://www.factorydirectpromos.com/custom-water-bottles.html to place a custom bottle order.

Factory Direct Promos understands our planet’s environmental health issues are growing, not shrinking.  Not only is 2010 shaping up to be the hottest on record according to the NY Times, our “throw away society” is compounding the problems by trashing huge percentages of what we buy and not recycling nearly enough.  Eco friendly promotional products can be a convenient and positive daily reminder for all of us to reduce, reuse, and recycle whenever the opportunity presents itself.  Factory Direct Promos is a pioneer of this paradigm shift and you can follow Jason’s efforts on his blog at www.reusablebagblog.com. Throughout the year of 2010, the FDP team has blogged about environmental issues ranging from deforestation to the Gulf Oil Spill, disposable bag waste problems, plastic bag bans, and even political issues such as climate legislation.  Visit the blog and join the discussion today.  Your actions and voice can make all the difference in the world.

In case you had not already heard, the state of Florida has a rather strange occurrence taking place. A local landfill is sinking into the Earth and, as a result, toxins are expected to leak into the local water supply. This is just one example of how our overflowing landfills are racking up the points against us as we continue to consume and discard, rather than embrace more fully the concept of recycling and reusing. We’ll take a look at the situation in Florida and discuss just how it illustrates the potential for landfills worldwide to end up being real nightmares of an ecological sort.

According to a recent report from WUSF http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/12/16/sinkhole_under_landfill_is_growing), the radio station for the University of South Florida, it appears that a sinkhole is opening in beneath a landfill that serves Hillsborough County about 20 miles away from Tampa, Florida. While the authorities continue to try and figure out what to do about this problem, it looks like a terrifying one, to say the least. Official measurements say the sinkhole is as deep as a 4 story building is tall. Literal tons of garbage from Tampa Bay area households has already fallen into the hole.

What is a major cause for concern is the fact that leachate could very well begin to leak down into the local water supplies. Leachate is a substance that is a fluid containing unwanted chemical elements, according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leachate). This type of toxic fluid seeping into the area’s wells is definitely bad news for the drinking water in this part of the Tampa area, but it is also a potential signal of a larger scale problem.

Tampa, Florida is certainly not the only soft soil area in the world where all the tons of human compiled garbage could fall through the earth and directly into the water supply. While solid waste is usually thought of as easier to manage than some other types of human produced pollution, once it begins to break down into leachate, the situation changes. Items like detergent containers and typical plastic shopping bags contain petroleum based chemicals we do not want in our drinking water.

While it is definitely difficult to singlehandedly take on the impact of an entire landfill, these waste disposal areas are all comprised of garbage from many people. That means each of us plays a role in how quickly they are filled. Such choices as using recycled shopping bags instead of typical plastic bags may seem small, but when you consider the way things add up, it has a huge impact. When we choose to recycle by using green shopping bags instead of opting for traditional bags, we are putting a foot forward for a cleaner world.

So while a sinkhole may not open in the Earth beneath a landfill near you any time soon, rest assured that if we take no action similar events are likely to continue happening worldwide. This is why it is not just Florida facing this problem – we all play a role in making daily decisions that impact the planet.

Seven Months After The Gulf Oil Spill
In April of 2010, a tragedy struck the world that we are still reeling from: the Deep Horizons oil spill inside the Gulf of Mexico. The event was brought on by a leak from a British Petroleum (BP) oil rig that experienced a malfunction that caused it to stream oil into the Gulf of mexico and even now, we are trying to clean up the mess. We’ll have a look at how things are proceeding 10 months after the leak began and 7 months after it was capped on July 15th, 2010. We will take a glimpse at the devastation this environmental catastrophe has wreaked on the environment, along with what individuals are doing to try and help not only to humans, but the other lifeforms which share Earth with us.

Possibly one of the most visually remarkable impacts from the Gulf Oil Spill continues to be the sights we glimpse on the news involving animals harmed by the toxic crude oil. Reported by Wikipedia, it is estimated that a full 53,000 barrels’ worth of oil gushed into the Gulf of Mexico throughout the 3 months the Deepwater Horizons oil rig was leaking. This implies nearly 5 million barrels of oil escaped into the water. During the ordeal, animals of every kind were poisoned and then died in record numbers, washing up along the beaches of the Gulf. Countless more were harmed by the toxic waste and they continue to be cared for in the hopes that they can be saved.

According to a recent editorial in the Tween Tribune (http://tweentribune.com/content/cleanup-continues-oil-damaged-animals), efforts are continuing for rehabilitating sea turtles, egrets and additional creatures that would be powerless to carry on in the wild without human intervention. The price of these rehab efforts have run over half a million dollars, paid for by BP, so far. Understand that this same oil is needed to make not only gas, but also plastics.

Some estimates place a large number of animals dead, as reported by LouisianaToday.com (http://www.todayslouisiana.com/gulf-oil-spill-cleanup.html) with no living animals within an 80 mile radius of the oil platform at present. Once you take the time to think about all of the birds, seafood and reptiles that exist in a typical mile of open ocean, you will get a sense of the death rate. This one incident genuinely needs to serve as a reminder to most of us as to the importance of selecting green bags and attempting even the tiniest things to try to help our natural environment.

Animals just like shrimp, crabs and marine seafood are a large part of the Gulf region diet plan and without being able to bring in these animals, numerous dining establishments must immediately close down. The lack of consumers within this vacationer heavy locale truly hurts the economy and, as blogger Alexander Higgins pointed out (http://blog.alexanderhiggins.com/2010/09/29/video-dangers-lurk-beneath-surface-gulf-mexico-6102/), the risks still lurk beneath the Gulf’s surface.

We consumers actually can do something to help our environment. Once we choose eco shopping bags, we aren’t just reducing garbage now, we are reducing dependency for the very oil which is needed to create these bags. This really is one little move forward towards a cleaner planet any of us could certainly do.

As it is easy to observe, the Gulf Oil Spill’s devastation is having lasting effects. We continue to battle the spoiling of our world, however on the constructive side, we are able to all perform something to help fight the catastrophe from ever taking place again.

At almost every store consumers enter today there will be a display of inexpensive reusable shopping bags. In some locations the free plastic shopping bags, which were once supplied free with each purchase have been outlawed due to environmental concerns. Shoppers can be seen in practically every location carrying their bags into the store, or purchasing new bags because, once again, they have forgotten the ones they already have at home. While reusable bags seem like a great idea, there are some precautions that should be remembered when making the choice to use these bags.

Shoppers should take a few minutes to think about what is placed inside the bags before automatically reusing them without taking time for cleaning. According to recent studies, almost 2/3 of the bags that are being reused in the store are contaminated with bacteria or mold. Some of the contamination comes from the outside of packaging that is handled by numerous other shoppers as well as store employees. Others may come from the fresh produce or meats that are being placed in the bag.

Most of the cloth reusable bags can easily be washed and then dried on a clothesline or by hanging over a shower bar. The simple act of washing and drying the bag can help to reduce the bacteria and mold that is being found in the reusable grocery bags. With the heavier plastic bags that are becoming popular in many warehouse stores today, the bag should be wiped clean using a good antibacterial cleaner and allowed to air dry.

Additionally, shoppers may want to consider using a specific bag each time for meats and another for produce. While it is still necessary to clean bags in between uses to keep the contamination to a minimum, this helps to ensure that the bacteria from meats and produces do not mix, creating a similar problem as that caused by using the same knife or cutting board for both meats and vegetables.

Another option for persons making purchases at large warehouse stores, like Sam’s Club or Costco is to take plastic totes or even ice chests for packing their goods back home. Just as with the reusable bags, the bins should be cleaned after each use. These bins and coolers are easily cleaned using a water hose after each use, but if they become especially grubby, a little soap and a scrub brush or a shot of chlorine bleach can help to disinfect the item. If using bleach, be sure to allow plenty of time for the bin to air and the smell of chlorine to dissipate before the next use. An added advantage of using coolers for refrigerated or frozen food is that there is less chance of spoilage on the way home from the large monthly shopping trip.

In general, reusable grocery bags are a great idea. They cut down on landfill waste and the number of disposable bags that cause litter along the roads and highways. However, there are some issues of which users need to beware and take proper precautions to avoid.

Anybody that was alive plus of age in 1989 most likely recalls the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill that took place inside Prince William Sound off the coast of Alaska. The spill threw out approximately 750,000 gallons of crude oil. The outcome was devastating and it even resonates these days, greater than 20 years afterward, made more relevant by the recent Deepwater Horizon Spill within the Gulf of Mexico. Let’s take a look at the impact of the Exxon Valdez at present.

Efforts continue to be ongoing in cleaning up the after effects of this enormous tragedy, Eco Bags but the results are worse than people feared. Wikipedia shows that research concludes even today the spill is having an impact that affects the area habitats around the Prince William Sound vicinity. Subsistence need to be shunned and things including wildlife of the lesser known variety of tiny creatures are always feeling the impacts.

The extreme impact to area people in Alaska is still continuing and that is certainly part of the cleanup procedure, as well. An article by David Ferrara recently indicates that lessons learned from the Exxon Valdez spill are helping individuals in the Gulf area to get by. Mental health issues are an appreciable part of the human distress in the spill area, although even those far removed from that region of Alaska still ended up footing the bill. This kind of secondary effect of the cleanup, as Chris Genovali shows in his editorial, Reusable Bags signifies that taxpayers have paid upwards of $8 billion to clean up the region.

The costs should likely continue on for decades, but that doesn’t suggest we can’t take action right away to ensure this never happens again. Oil just isn’t just for fuel, it is needed to make plastics, too. This is why green are embraced in a big way in recent years. As a result of helping decrease the demand for petroleum, we can take a stand and help out. Little changes such as turning to eco friendly are helping create less trash for the environment. We may not be able to clean up a massive tanker spill,Reusable Shopping Bags and Reusable Grocery Bags however all of us could make a little difference in our own way, whether or not it is with bags or else reduced energy consumption.

Clearly, the world just isn’t yet over the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. The efforts continue and the costs mount, nevertheless one day if we continue our minor improvements things may return to normal once again. Primarily, we wish to make the adjustments that will push us in the direction of a cleaner future consisting of less dependence on hazardous chemical substances in our daily lives and less waste produced, as well.

Anybody that was alive plus of age in 1989 most likely recalls the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill that took place inside Prince William Sound off the coast of Alaska. The spill threw out approximately 750,000 gallons of crude oil. The outcome was devastating and it even resonates these days, greater than 20 years afterward, made more relevant by the recent Deepwater Horizon Spill within the Gulf of Mexico. Let’s take a look at the impact of the Exxon Valdez at present.

Efforts continue to be ongoing in cleaning up the after effects of this enormous tragedy, Eco Bags but the results are worse than people feared. Wikipedia shows that research concludes even today the spill is having an impact that affects the area habitats around the Prince William Sound vicinity. Subsistence need to be shunned and things including wildlife of the lesser known variety of tiny creatures are always feeling the impacts.

The extreme impact to area people in Alaska is still continuing and that is certainly part of the cleanup procedure, as well. An article by David Ferrara recently indicates that lessons learned from the Exxon Valdez spill are helping individuals in the Gulf area to get by. Mental health issues are an appreciable part of the human distress in the spill area, although even those far removed from that region of Alaska still ended up footing the bill. This kind of secondary effect of the cleanup, as Chris Genovali shows in his editorial, Reusable Bags signifies that taxpayers have paid upwards of $8 billion to clean up the region.

The costs should likely continue on for decades, but that doesn’t suggest we can’t take action right away to ensure this never happens again. Oil just isn’t just for fuel, it is needed to make plastics, too. This is why green are embraced in a big way in recent years. As a result of helping decrease the demand for petroleum, we can take a stand and help out. Little changes such as turning to eco friendly are helping create less trash for the environment. We may not be able to clean up a massive tanker spill,Reusable Shopping Bags and Reusable Grocery Bags however all of us could make a little difference in our own way, whether or not it is with bags or else reduced energy consumption.

Clearly, the world just isn’t yet over the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. The efforts continue and the costs mount, nevertheless one day if we continue our minor improvements things may return to normal once again. Primarily, we wish to make the adjustments that will push us in the direction of a cleaner future consisting of less dependence on hazardous chemical substances in our daily lives and less waste produced, as well.

As we start to consider the Green Revolution, we frequently are inclined to think of tech companies as being leaders in the charge to change the world for the better. Together with digital devices, we salvage trees by using a lesser amount of paper, for example. Nonetheless, there are two sides to every coin, Reusable Bags as the old saying goes, and it turns out that tech corporations do actually cope with darker environmental concerns, also.

One main article which has come out of late includes one of the most well known plus extensively beloved companies within the digital products realm, Apple. Reported by Lance Whitney at , the company has been combatting troubles involving its’ environmental impact since 2009. At that time, a supplier Apple worked with named Wintek had been using a hazardous poison referred to as n-hexane in the touch screens it creates for iPods in addition to iPhones. This hazardous chemical has been ended, but new worries now come from the Chinese government.

The government of China went even further to nationalize lots of its rare earth mines as well. A report by Michael Gorman at discovered that the company wants to scale back it’s exports of what are known as rare earths by 10% in the future. These resources are strip mined with the lethal extra materials being dumped into Chinese rivers. This change in Chinese policy implies that lots of of these materials,Reusable Shopping Bags utilised in the assembly of hi tech merchandise, will now cost more.

Plainly, the technology industry does play a vital role within the wellbeing of our globe. Adjustments, environmental specialists say, may have to be made on every level if we want to keep our earth clean & in good health. Lots of products we like may not utilize much energy, but they contain the kind of unsafe metals and chemicals that eco friendly shopping bags in no way do. Each one of us has to Eco Bags make slight alterations & this is only one way to do that. We have to be leaders who show that a hybrid vehicle is great, although even a small step including using is a certain move forward.

Educating individuals around us on the small things, including recycling as well as mulching, that we can do to help is vital today. We’ve got to become able to reach through to individuals & illustrate how 1 change from even 1 pct of the globe’s inhabitants making a single change will be 70 million changes, Reusable Grocery Bags an enormous effect. Picture this with recycled grocery bags & you see that’s literally millions of bags a week saved.

Although the technology industry is undoubtedly a frontrunner in helping us heal the planet, they also have to be wary. We need to make our own changes and not rely on companies to create those changes for us.

As we start to consider the Green Revolution, we frequently are inclined to think of tech companies as being leaders in the charge to change the world for the better. Together with digital devices, we salvage trees by using a lesser amount of paper, for example. Nonetheless, there are two sides to every coin, Reusable Bags as the old saying goes, and it turns out that tech corporations do actually cope with darker environmental concerns, also.

One main article which has come out of late includes one of the most well known plus extensively beloved companies within the digital products realm, Apple. Reported by Lance Whitney at , the company has been combatting troubles involving its’ environmental impact since 2009. At that time, a supplier Apple worked with named Wintek had been using a hazardous poison referred to as n-hexane in the touch screens it creates for iPods in addition to iPhones. This hazardous chemical has been ended, but new worries now come from the Chinese government.

The government of China went even further to nationalize lots of its rare earth mines as well. A report by Michael Gorman at discovered that the company wants to scale back it’s exports of what are known as rare earths by 10% in the future. These resources are strip mined with the lethal extra materials being dumped into Chinese rivers. This change in Chinese policy implies that lots of of these materials,Reusable Shopping Bags utilised in the assembly of hi tech merchandise, will now cost more.

Plainly, the technology industry does play a vital role within the wellbeing of our globe. Adjustments, environmental specialists say, may have to be made on every level if we want to keep our earth clean & in good health. Lots of products we like may not utilize much energy, but they contain the kind of unsafe metals and chemicals that eco friendly shopping bags in no way do. Each one of us has to Eco Bags make slight alterations & this is only one way to do that. We have to be leaders who show that a hybrid vehicle is great, although even a small step including using is a certain move forward.

Educating individuals around us on the small things, including recycling as well as mulching, that we can do to help is vital today. We’ve got to become able to reach through to individuals & illustrate how 1 change from even 1 pct of the globe’s inhabitants making a single change will be 70 million changes, Reusable Grocery Bags an enormous effect. Picture this with recycled grocery bags & you see that’s literally millions of bags a week saved.

Although the technology industry is undoubtedly a frontrunner in helping us heal the planet, they also have to be wary. We need to make our own changes and not rely on companies to create those changes for us.

For those people who do not spend our lives at sea, we most likely are not that well aware of just where plastic bags so often end up. It turns out, several of these, together with other plastic products, are ending up in substantial floating bulks of plastic called gyres that drift across the oceans of Earth today. This is unquestionably not a good thing and even though most of us are aware of the existence of Reusable Bags, we may have not yet found the main reason to use them. So let’s take a deeper look.

As all this rubbish flows all throughout our oceans, it is sometimes eaten by tiny creatures who’re then eaten by bigger creatures. Further up the food chain it goes until larger birds, fish plus other animals literally die from ingestion of chemical compounds that are not present within Eco Bags. This is often where non environmentally friendly bags wind up after the blow away from us. Therefore whereas we might not be anywhere near the sea, we can be impacting it in our daily life.

People are starting to try and do things to prevent these enormous garbage patches in our oceans. As for instance, Karin Schollin at reports that Electrolux, the Swedish vaccuum maker, is aiming to literally try and is holding an art event to help increase public understanding of what’s going with these garbage islands.

Several solutions are being employed and several more can help. We do not need to be specialists or activists to do something as small as switch to eco or purchase products with less to throw away. Everyone is just one human being, Reusable Grocery Bags but while we begin to accumulate an increasing number of individuals taking action to end this madness, we can transform the future we’re looking at nowadays.

As you can see, the garbage gyres within the 7 oceans are beyond disturbing. People are taking action in huge ways, though, although the greatest part is that we can all do something to make an impact. That is how we can change the world just through our daily choices in life.

It turns out that Earth’s oceans have what are known as gyres, currents which stream across the planet. Previously, numerous plants and animals in our seas relied on these to travel through the world’s marine ecosystems. Today, however, these systems are stuffed with garbage. Even Wikipedia shows that the Pacific Trash Vortex is not a fabrication of our imagination. There are actually huge quantities of plastics, Reusable Shopping Bags toxic chemical substances and several other non biodegradable man made materials floating in the earth’s seas these days.

For those people who do not spend our lives at sea, we most likely are not that well aware of just where plastic bags so often end up. It turns out, several of these, together with other plastic products, are ending up in substantial floating bulks of plastic called gyres that drift across the oceans of Earth today. This is unquestionably not a good thing and even though most of us are aware of the existence of Reusable Bags, we may have not yet found the main reason to use them. So let’s take a deeper look.

As all this rubbish flows all throughout our oceans, it is sometimes eaten by tiny creatures who’re then eaten by bigger creatures. Further up the food chain it goes until larger birds, fish plus other animals literally die from ingestion of chemical compounds that are not present within Eco Bags. This is often where non environmentally friendly bags wind up after the blow away from us. Therefore whereas we might not be anywhere near the sea, we can be impacting it in our daily life.

People are starting to try and do things to prevent these enormous garbage patches in our oceans. As for instance, Karin Schollin at reports that Electrolux, the Swedish vaccuum maker, is aiming to literally try and is holding an art event to help increase public understanding of what’s going with these garbage islands.

Several solutions are being employed and several more can help. We do not need to be specialists or activists to do something as small as switch to eco or purchase products with less to throw away. Everyone is just one human being, Reusable Grocery Bags but while we begin to accumulate an increasing number of individuals taking action to end this madness, we can transform the future we’re looking at nowadays.

As you can see, the garbage gyres within the 7 oceans are beyond disturbing. People are taking action in huge ways, though, although the greatest part is that we can all do something to make an impact. That is how we can change the world just through our daily choices in life.

It turns out that Earth’s oceans have what are known as gyres, currents which stream across the planet. Previously, numerous plants and animals in our seas relied on these to travel through the world’s marine ecosystems. Today, however, these systems are stuffed with garbage. Even Wikipedia shows that the Pacific Trash Vortex is not a fabrication of our imagination. There are actually huge quantities of plastics, Reusable Shopping Bags toxic chemical substances and several other non biodegradable man made materials floating in the earth’s seas these days.

For those people who do not spend our lives at sea, we most likely are not that well aware of just where plastic bags so often end up. It turns out, several of these, together with other plastic products, are ending up in substantial floating bulks of plastic called gyres that drift across the oceans of Earth today. This is unquestionably not a good thing and even though most of us are aware of the existence of Reusable Bags, we may have not yet found the main reason to use them. So let’s take a deeper look.

It turns out that Earth’s oceans have what are known as gyres, currents which stream across the planet. Previously, numerous plants and animals in our seas relied on these to travel through the world’s marine ecosystems. Today, however, these systems are stuffed with garbage. Even Wikipedia shows that the Pacific Trash Vortex is not a fabrication of our imagination. There are actually huge quantities of plastics, Reusable Shopping Bags toxic chemical substances and several other non biodegradable man made materials floating in the earth’s seas these days.

As all this rubbish flows all throughout our oceans, it is sometimes eaten by tiny creatures who’re then eaten by bigger creatures. Further up the food chain it goes until larger birds, fish plus other animals literally die from ingestion of chemical compounds that are not present within Eco Bags. This is often where non environmentally friendly bags wind up after the blow away from us. Therefore whereas we might not be anywhere near the sea, we can be impacting it in our daily life.

People are starting to try and do things to prevent these enormous garbage patches in our oceans. As for instance, Karin Schollin at reports that Electrolux, the Swedish vaccuum maker, is aiming to literally try and is holding an art event to help increase public understanding of what’s going with these garbage islands.

Several solutions are being employed and several more can help. We do not need to be specialists or activists to do something as small as switch to eco or purchase products with less to throw away. Everyone is just one human being, Reusable Grocery Bags but while we begin to accumulate an increasing number of individuals taking action to end this madness, we can transform the future we’re looking at nowadays.

As you can see, the garbage gyres within the 7 oceans are beyond disturbing. People are taking action in huge ways, though, although the greatest part is that we can all do something to make an impact. That is how we can change the world just through our daily choices in life.

In case you had not already heard, the state of Florida has a rather strange occurrence taking place. An area landfill is sinking into the Earth and, as a result, poisons are expected to leak into the area water supply. This is just one instance of how our brimming landfills are racking up the points against us while we still use up and discard, and not embrace more completely the concept of recycling and reusing. We’ll take a look at the situation in Florida and talk about just how it illustrates the potential for landfills worldwide to end up being recognized as bona fide nightmares of an ecological sort.

In accordance to a current report from WUSF http://www.wusf.usf.edu/news/2010/12/16/sinkhole_under_landfill_is_growing), the radio station of the University of South Florida, it appears that a sinkhole is opening beneath a landfill that serves Hillsborough County roughly 20 miles away from Tampa, Florida. While the powers that be continue to try to figure out what to do about this problem, it seems to be a terrifying one, to say the least. Official measurements say the sinkhole is as deep as a 4 story building is tall. Literally heaps of waste from Tampa Bay area households has already fallen into the hole.

What is a significant reason for concern is the indisputable fact that leachate could very well begin to leak downward into the area water supplies. Leachate is a substance that is a fluid containing adverse chemical elements, according to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leachate). Any such poisonous fluid seeping into the area’s wells is certainly bad news for the drinking water in this part of the Tampa area, but it is also a potential signal of a larger scale problem.

Tampa, Florida is certainly not the only soft soil area located in the world where all the tons of human compiled waste could plunge through the earth and then directly into the water supply. While solid waste is generally considered easier to manage than different types of human created pollution, once it begins to break down into leachate, the situation changes. Items like detergent containers as well as typical plastic shopping bags contain petroleum based chemicals we don’t want in our drinking water.

Even as it is certainly arduous to singlehandedly take on the impact of a whole landfill, these waste disposal areas are all comprised of trash from countless individuals. That means each of us plays a role in how swiftly they are filled. Such alternatives as utilizing eco friendly recycled shopping bags instead of typical plastic bags could seem insignificant, but when you consider how things add up, it carries a large impact. Once we choose to recycle through the use of green bags rather than choosing conventional bags, we are putting a foot forward for a cleaner world.

So while a sinkhole will possibly not open in the Planet beneath a landfill near you any time soon, rest assured that if we take no action like events are prone to continue happening worldwide. Because of this, it is not just Florida facing this dilemma – we all play a role in making daily decisions that impact the planet.

With an environmental catastrophe in the Gulf taking over the news in recent weeks, at present more than ever, people from all backgrounds understand the massive environmental requirement for adjustments in our individual choices and cumulative behavior and also for companies’ organizational culture and dedication to our one and only Planet’s future. Similar to the way that smoking has basically been pressed away from indoor public spaces moreover why it is not socially tolerable to text or chat on the phone whilst driving, we have also practically arrived at the tipping point for cultural awareness when it comes to reducing, reusing, and recycling.

The public embraces it, and so the eco progress will continue to increase briskly. Any big corporation that is not continuously researching its processes and methods for eco friendliness will face a possible public relations nightmare over the next decade and beyond. It’s crucial for small business owners and large corporations to solidify their eco conscious reputation too. Corporations must always remember that consumers possess choices. While customers critique sustainability in their own lives, they’ll also be contemplating your business. It will be more important than ever to show these possible customers your corporate steadfastness to green practices.

It is really easy to go green and help the natural environment. A very common means for a business to go green is via starting some kind of company recycling program in the workplace. As a matter of fact, the most recent trend is to remove the necessity to recycle altogether whenever feasible. Easy green methods consist of having your employees and customers go paperless as well as handing out reusable stainless steel water bottles and reusable coffee mugs to help cut down the use of disposables. Another good way is to simply remember to turn the lights and business machines off when going home from the workplace. Individual conditions will differ, however you will likely find that lots of localities do not offer open recycling options for the community, nor do they do a lot to encourage people or businesses to go green as of yet.

If your business finds a way to execute sustainable and recyclable business methods and office culture, despite existing roadblocks, then do not hesitate to blog about it as well as brag about it in a press release, and tell the story of your company’s eco consciousness and commitment to the environment. Be an advocate to your neighborhood, and help take out the barriers to recycling, with the practice of thousands of businesses we could inspire millions of consumers to make shifts of their way of life producing epic and fundamental change. The additional efforts to look after our earth during this period will eventually be recognized, improving your organization’s reputation as an eco leader and pioneer.

You can also benefit by making going green an integral part of your advertising approach. Passing out eco custom bags at trade shows and career fairs is a subtle means to produce a memorable experience and encourage eco consciousness and awareness of world-wide green matters. Trade shows and job fairs are an excellent example of where your company must stand out over the competition, and eco friendly custom bags are an effective way to do just that. Not only do you pass out a reusable item together with your company’s brand and insignia that stays with the prospect for a long time but you happen to be presenting your corporate sense and devotion with the usage of sustainable and recyclable items. In this lackluster economy, your business must be admirable and unforgettable in the eyes of each probable customer, vendor, colleague and even a talented candidate for employment. Generally, a final decision isn’t made on the spot, so you must stand out and forever stay in the prospect’s mind, customized recycled trade show bags made entirely of one use plastic water bottles is a cheap and sociably admirable marketing technique as well as an ideal way to leave a quality long lasting impact on your audience and our Planet’s fragile future.