Reusable Bags News

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.

The advantages of recycling are many in a world where scientists estimate that it can take up to 1,000 years to biodegrade a plastic bottle and 4,000 years for a glass bottle to be broken down naturally. The motto of those people who support the Green movement is: reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose, repair and regift, but generally, reusable water bottles go a long way in saving the environment, with minimal expenditure with regards to time, money, energy and space.

Whilst incinerating waste products causes air pollution, landfilling is renowned for tainting water tables, rivers and seas, using up energy and in addition land space that could be better used for conservatories or housing to name but two alternatives. Then as new items are manufactured, storage issues arise. Furthermore, there is the dreaded greenhouse effect to be considered.

Recycling means less clutter, lower consumption of various useful raw materials and of energy, and a decrease in air impurities and water contamination. Carbon footprints are eliminated too.

Modern day recycling plants reconstitute paper, cardboard, plastic, glass and aluminium products to produce a new supply of exactly the same materials or for the reuse thereof in the manufacturing of other materials. And so enter stainless steel and aluminium liquid wares.

Stainless steel and aluminium products have the edge on plastics in that they very rarely crack or break if they have been made to the highest quality control standards. As such, the risks to people who use them, from viruses, bacteria and fungi are greatly lessened, and, moreover, the interaction of the chemicals found in the raw materials with the refreshments stored in the containers is minimized such that carcinogens are unlikely to be a threat to the well-being of consumers.

If well-sealed when made, the goods should not give cause for concern with regard to leaking and some may even maintain the temperature of the solution they are holding. Commodities on the market come in various sizes and shapes, factors which also play a role in determining how practical they are.

From an aesthetic point of view, the bottles have such a tough constitution that they don’t dent easily. Cold and gray are not necessarily the look of such goods either. Product designers more often than not deliver a package that is colorful and unique. Some companies cleverly advertise their brands and/or logos on the canisters they sell. Creatively, some individual buyers decide to custom-order the items they purchase to show their names, favorite hobbies and interests, thoughts and emotions, and liking of trendy brands on the outside of their reusable water bottles and stainless steel water bottles as a personal demonstration to the rest of the world. Consumers and businesses do the same with other eco friendly products such as eco friendly reusable bags.

If consumers are concerned about the fragile and delicate ecological balance of the Earth and wish to do their part in sustaining its long-term survival, reduce, reuse, recycle, repurpose, repair and regift, seems a fair, reasonable and sensible strategy to follow. Along with that, come the health benefits thereof that contribute to making a longer also better quality of life possibly available for each person on the planet. And it doesn’t hurt to make one’s life easier and simpler and more attractive at the same time by sporting the latest accessories.

If you’re looking for a way to save the planet, why not consider reusable green bags? Most people use plastic bags instead of paper bags today, but those bags all end up in the landfills. They just get thrown away, because people don’t see the purpose of them. Sure, some people end up recycling them or reusing them in some way, but most people just see them as garbage as soon as they get their groceries home and unpacked. You don’t have to be one of those people who contributes to landfills by throwing away plastic bags.

Getting recycled grocery bags is easy, and so is using them. Overall, they’re great to have around, but there are some issues that you’ll need to consider. One of those is health. If you’re reusing bags, you’re putting things into them, taking them out, and putting other things in the next time. The germs from one using can hang around until the next using, which can put some people at risk. In other words, if you use the bag to carry uncooked meat home, and then use it on your next shopping trip to carry produce home, you could contaminate that produce accidentally.

You don’t want that kind of thing to happen, of course, so bags should be cleaned frequently. It’s also a good idea to have separate bags that you use for certain things, so that the risk of cross-contamination is lessened. It can be a little bit less convenient remembering what bag is for what kinds of items and making sure that your groceries get packed correctly, but food poisoning would be even more inconvenient. Don’t take that chance when you can easily avoid it. You can label the bags that you use, or get them in different colors – green for produce, red for meat, etc. Use whatever color combination or other system works for you.

There are many pros to eco friendly reusable shopping bags. As long as you’re careful with the cleanliness of them, you can use them for a long time without needing to buy more. You’ll be keeping disposable bags out of the landfills, and you’ll be saving your grocery store money, too, which can help keep prices down. That’s good news for you, and for everyone else who shops there. Plastic bags are a major expense for stores that use them, because they go through so many each and every day. When fewer of them are used, everyone wins – including Mother Earth.

One of the easiest things to do when you’re at the grocery store is to let that person who’s bagging the groceries stuff them all into flimsy, plastic bags. Those bags are purchased by the thousands by stores, and they’re used all over the place. There have been many efforts to ban these kinds of bags, but so far nothing has been done to stop them from being used in almost everything from a mom-and-pop shop to the largest of retail giants. Stores like them because they’re cheap and they’re easy to deal with. Customers like them because they’re convenient and disposable.

Even though they’re designed to be thrown away, though, you can help out the environment by recycling them instead. Don’t assume that you can’t recycle them. You can put them in with the plastic that you recycle on your regular rounds, or you can put them in the recycling bins that a lot of the larger stores have created just for that purpose. Some people also reuse them for trash, cat litter, yard debris, and other things, so the bags get used again. If they’re used that way, though, the ultimately get thrown in the garbage – which isn’t helping the planet out in any way.

It’s much better to actually recycle the bags properly, so that they can stay out of landfills. Plastic takes many years to biodegrade, and the more bags show up in the landfills the more the planet struggles. Even if you’re not that interested in starting up a recycling regimen for the plastic, glass, and paper that you use every day, you can still pay close attention to the bags that you’re handed when you shop. When you get home, pile all the bags up and stuff them into one bag. Put them back in the car, and drop them off the next time you go shopping.

That way it won’t be inconvenient for you, you won’t have to go someplace special to turn the bags in, and you won’t have bags accumulating everywhere. Many people don’t recycle because they don’t want the hassle, but making sure that plastic bags get recycled doesn’t have to be difficult. Another excellent option for reducing plastic bag waste is by using reusable green bags otherwise known as eco friendly reusable shopping bags. These convenient items can go a long way. You can make it very simple and easy to handle, and you can get your family involved so you don’t feel like you’re the only one who’s dealing with the work of making sure plastic bags find their way into the hands of those who will recycle them.

Most of us recognize the importance of recycling paper, plastic and glass, but forget about recycling batteries. That less than 5% of batteries get recycled proves the point. That figure should be much, much higher, as recycling batteries is no more difficult that recycling anything else. So, if you are not currently recycling the batteries that you use, the question is – why not?

Some people say that recycling batteries is too difficult or inconvenient, but that is no more than an excuse, and a poor one at that. Lots of supermarkets have recycling points for batteries, and you can also find them in some libraries and schools. All you have to do is take your batteries and drop them in a box. Not hard, right? If you cannot think of anywhere in your local area that recycles batteries than do a quick search on Google for ‘recycle batteries + the name of your town’.

So, which types of batteries can be recycled?

Button batteries :  These batteries, which are used in watches and hearing aids amongst other things, can have the mercury-oxide and silver-oxide reclaimed from them. This means that not only are there environmental benefits but there are economic ones too. For this reason, jewelers and pharmacies are happy to take these expired batteries from you because they can actually make some money from them.

Car batteries : Most modern countries have laws that require car battery sellers to collect old used batteries. The used batteries can be crushed into small pieces, with the plastic components being recycled into new plastic products and the recycled lead being turned back into new batteries or sent elsewhere for other uses.

Household batteries : These are the most common types of batteries and you will surely have at least some of them in use your house at the moment. They are not easy to turn into new batteries, but they should be taken to recycling points anyway. Though they may not be able to be used for any new purpose, at least they will be disposed of properly rather than being left in a landfill to damage the environment.

Learn More : Battery Disposal

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.

No matter what the situation is that leads you to move into a new place you end up with a great opportunity to have the ability to clarify your goals and your environment. Moving into a new place far away or just down the street provides you with a clean, fresh slate to start your work. Creating an environment that will help you remain focused on new goals isn’t hard at all.

Before you move, clean. Nobody will do a better job cleaning the dust bunnies and the corners than you will. So bring forth the Hoover Windtunnel bagged vacuum that you packed in the back of the van and give it a good once over. Visually, your efforts and cleanliness will give you a great starting point when it comes to rearranging your goals.

The bedroom and the bathroom are two areas that you spend time in during the morning hours as well as the last hours before sleep. Creating a great set up here is good for an emotional boost. A simple new bedding collection can give you a nice refreshing outlook in the morning and send you off the sleep with renewed vigor for tomorrow.

The bathroom can become a special place for self pampering. Spend time on the decorating, and be willing to splurge on some of the best eye cream or the best fragrance that you can find. The bathroom is your daily reminder to care for yourself on a regular basis.

Give yourself a few days to check out what you might need to give more attention to. In many cases you might find that there are areas of your new place that are still too related to the old place. Change it. Whether that requires some rearranging or buying something new, the sooner you change it the more your new environment will support your new fresh start.

When you are working on giving yourself that new start and a new environment you might want to take a few moments to reflect on how your goals are matching your interior efforts. Write a few goals down and see how you can set up your home in a way that will be beneficial to making sure you stay focused.

If your biggest goal is learning to be more organized so that you end up being more responsible, then by all means set up your place in way that will make perfect sense to help you along. If you have another goal related to being able to create happiness wherever you go, how is that evident in your efforts now? We can be crafty and help ourselves by creating an environment that we feel we can grow in.

Care about our world’s oceans, plants and animals?  Of course you do, and you’re not alone. Concerned people everywhere agree we have an environmental disaster of historic proportions on our hands in the Gulf of Mexico. You may have heard that the oil spill appears to be larger than previously thought.  Purdue University engineering professor Steve Wereley, after analyzing BP’s congressionally mandated live video feed of the spill, estimates that up to 100,000 barrels of oil are leaking from the bottom of the ocean every day.  This news adds to a laundry list of bad news on the worldwide environmental and economic front in recent years and it can be overwhelming and flat out depressing to think about.

But what can we do to help?  Most of us have jobs and families we must attend to. It’s not like we can just drop everything and head down the gulf to help with cleanup.  Furthermore, many of us wouldn’t have the slightest idea of how to help with an oil spill clean up or have the resources to make a significant difference.   So how can we be a part of the solution?

We have to stop thinking so big, and begin small.  It is little decisions like riding our bike to work and recycling our aluminum cans that is what we must do to help.   For far too long our culture has treated issues such as recycling as “optional” and with complete ignorance.  We have an extremely short memory as a society.  As an example, check out Anne Casselman’s article about the Top 10 Biggest Oil Spills in History at PopularMechanics.com. The shocker is that the Exxon Valdez spill in 1989 doesn’t even make the list.  Oil spills keep happening throughout the world repeatedly and we all act like this is a once in a decade thing or something.

The truth is that oil will continue to be drilled as long as there is demand for it.  Our culture’s attitude about clean energy and the green movement needs an immediate shift.  But like I said, we must start small and simple!  For example, another huge environmental issue is the amount of plastic that is being used in this world, and this plastic is ending up in our oceans just like the oil.   You’ll be shocked if this is your first time hearing about The Great Pacific Garbage Patch, and as Oprah Winfrey reported last year “ is estimated to be twice the size of Texas”.   Although this giant garbage dump is composed of all kinds of floating trash and debris, plastic is the biggest problem because it never really decays completely.  So not only do we have oil spills in to our oceans, we also have plastic and trash spills.  According to the Container Recycling Institute, 51.9 billion beverage containers have been consumed so far this year, as of late May.  Reusable water bottles are a perfect example of the kind of simple changes we can make in our individual habits and lifestyles. Imagine the difference that can be made if the average person chooses to use stainless steel water bottles instead of plastic bottles.  In the same way, we can prevent environmental catastrophes by not driving gas guzzling inefficient cars and walking or using public transportation instead.

We all care deeply about the health of our planet, and now we need to turn our disgust for the disaster in the Gulf into simple action and minor adjustments in our lifestyle.  Don’t let the latest news get you down, develop a vision for a healthy planet and do the right thing: Go Green.

So how’s that 2010 new years resolution going? Well, if you’re like many or even most of us, you may have already given up.  It can be extremely difficult to change one habit.  In fact, we may go year after year making the same promise to ourselves to break a bad habit.  Then we break the promise of breaking that habit (sound familiar smokers, habitual soda drinkers, or fast-food eaters?).  It’s a vicious cycle! How do we break it?

I propose we adopt a strategy of changing a variety of simple and easy things in our lives, right now, instead of having just one goal for change.  What if changing in just one way is not enough? As we make decisions to change, even in small ways, we gain momentum and confidence in our ability to make positive changes regarding some of the more difficult things like working out regularly and finally losing that extra weight.  So let’s start building that confidence!

I see two simple yet significant ways I can change our planet and myself.  First, I’ll use eco friendly reusable or recycled shopping bags instead of plastic and paper bags when I shop.  Secondly, I’ll remember to use stainless steel water bottles. You may be surprised by what a positive influence these two easy habits can have on the world.

These habits are simple, easy and affordable.  Furthermore, contrary to popular belief, plastic containers and bags are not addictive (we promise, no withdrawals or cravings)!  Many aren’t mindful of how our usage of these products affect our planet’s health.  Once upon a time not long ago, we weren’t mindful of the harmful effects of cigarettes.  We accepted cigarette smoke as the status quo.  Some of us still smoke or live in communities where smoking is allowed in public indoor spaces.  Using reusable grocery bags and reusable water bottles can be new healthy habits and so easy compared to something like quitting caffeine, high fructose corn syrup or eliminating fast food from our diets.  Keep a stash of eco friendly recycled bags in your car, backpack, or shoulder bag.  Make a small investment in a stainless steel reusable water bottle and bring it with you everywhere you go.  You will not only reduce the harmful affects of disposable bag and disposable bottle waste in our environment, you will also inspire others to make these simple changes in their lives as well.

The best part is how you will feel about yourself when you realize you’re now part of the solution, rather than the problem.  Check out the stats and facts:

Disposable bag usage:

• Plastic bag waste pollutes our lands, forests, ponds, rivers, lakes, and oceans.
• Just since the year began (as of March 1st, 2010), it is estimated that over 82 Billion plastic bags have been consumed in the USA.
• According to the EPA this contributes to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of marine mammals (who ingest and subsequently choke or die of starvation as a result).
• In California alone, an estimated 19 billion plastic bags end up in landfills each year.
• Although there is debate about which one (plastic vs. paper) is worse for the environment, there is no debate that the widespread adoption of reusable eco bags is by far the best solution for this significant environmental problem.

Plastic bottle usage:

• According to the Container Recycling Institute (CRI), more than 21 billion beverage cans and bottles have been landfilled, littered and incinerated so far this year (yes just since 2010 began).
• CRI also reports that Americans purchase an estimated 34.6 billion single serve plastic bottles every year and hundreds of millions end up in the same places that disposable bags end up.

We all dream of a day when we finally break loose of our bad habits:  quitting smoking, eliminating fast food in our diet, or just getting off the couch and working out!  You know you can do it!  Determine what you can easily change now, and act on it.  So make a simple change in your life today: Adopt a reusable shopping bags and stainless steel water bottle habit and start building momentum for greater changes that are beginning in your life right now!

Trees and Tots is an organic/natural web-based boutique that carries a spectacular array of merchandise for babies, children, teens and a few for the home.  We are a quaint company ran by a family raising our own children a beautiful shade of green, conscious of the environment and healthy.  We are very aware of the of the harmful chemicals, pesticides, herbicides, carcinogens and toxins in so much of the food we eat, clothes we wear, cleaners we use, bedding we sleep in and toys our precious children play with.  We realized that the safest, healthiest way to raise our family was organically and naturally; from food to clothing, cleaners to bedding and shampoos to toys.  Parents do want the best for their children and we can help you achieve this.  We at Trees and Tots want to help you raise your family green while being mindful of the world we live in and share.   We are dedicated to helping babies, toddlers and children lead a balanced, healthy and happy lifestyle while educating Mommies and Daddies on how and why to do so.  We want to be your one stop shop for all your wee one’s organic natural, safe and healthy needs.  Our web-store is open 24/7/365; you can’t beat those store hours.  We at Trees and Tots believe in doing our part to make our land a cleaner, healthier environment and are always striving to lessen our carbon foot print. 

We care about the trees and tots in the world and their prosperous future, so therefore do what we can to preserve Mother earth.  We appreciate all she gives us, her sheer beauty and want our great grandchildren to enjoy the same wonderful natural amenities.  We  make a conscious effort and it a common business practice to reduce, reuse and recycle.  We carry 100% certified organic clothing, 100% all natural products and everything is earth friendly.    Our company policy is to only purchase and support fair trade products and small handmade toy makers because I feel they are made of superb quality and are unique. 

We are always looking out for new amazing and safe products to carry in our on-line retail store to offer parents.  A goal of ours is to help clean up our planet, have less pollution and chemicals emitted in the air we breathe, save the nearly extinct animals, have a few less diseases to attack us and to live a longer meaningful life.  Our simple mission now is to provide excellent products and superior customer service, while being mindful of the earth we live in and share.  We have a resourceful Blog, insightful green living articles, organic kid-friendly recipes and also sell previously loved organic clothing and toys to give them a second life and keep them out of the landfills.  We truly do care about the trees and tots in the world!

This is courtesy of Tracy at Trees and Tots. Welcome Tracy and thank you for your dedication to the environment and children, the two most important aspects of our Future!!