Reusable Bags News

If you’re looking for a way to rescue the planet, why don’t you consider promotional reusable grocery bags or reusable green bags? A lot of people use plastic bags instead of paper bags today, but those bags all end up inside the landfills. They simply get thrown away, since people don’t see the purpose of them. Sure, many people end up recycling them or reusing them in some way, but many people just perceive them as trash the moment they get their groceries home and unpacked. You don’t have to be one of those people who contributes to landfills as a result of throwing away plastic bags.

Receiving reusable bio bags is straightforward, and so is using them. Largely, they’re wonderful to have around, but there are a few concerns that you’ll have to take into account. One of those is health.

If you’re reusing bags, you’re inserting belongings into them, taking them out, and inserting new things in the next time. The microorganisms from one using can hang around until the next using, which sometimes can put many people at risk. In other words, if you use the bag to carry uncooked meat home, and then use it on your subsequent shopping trip to carry produce home, you could contaminate that produce accidentally.

You don’t need that kind of incident to happen, obviously, so bags should be cleaned regularly. It is also a good idea to have separate bags which you use for specific things, in order that the chance of cross-contamination is narrowed. It may be a bit less convenient remembering what bag is for what sorts of items and ensuring that your groceries get packed appropriately in resuable shopping bags, however food poisoning would be even more bothersome. Don’t take that chance when you can easily evade it. It is possible to label the bags for which you use, or get them in several colors – green for produce, red for meat, etc. Utilize whatever color grouping or other system that works for you.

There are several pros to reusable green bags. As long as you’re vigilant with the sanitation of them, use them for a long time without needing to buy more. You will be keeping disposable bags out of the landfills, and you’ll be saving your grocery store money, also, which can help keep costs down. That’s excellent news for you, and for everybody else who shops there. Plastic bags are a serious expenditure for stores that use them, since they go through so many each and every day. At the time when fewer of them are used, everyone wins – including Mother Earth.

Now that consumers are doing their part to protect the planet, ecological green bags and eco reusable bagsare becoming an established replacement for disposable plastic shopping bags. But, a recent study has shown some of these reusable alternatives could contain unacceptable levels of lead in them.

Recent experiments conducted on bags by independent laboratories at the Publix University of South Florida showed some of the go green reusable bags or green tote bags had lead levels of 194 parts per million. Though this is below the government stipulation of 300 parts per million for most products, it exceeds the stipulated level for children’s products, which is only 100 parts per million.

Tests conducted within one other marketing area for Wegmans grocery stores in five states across the East coast showed concerning quantities of 799 parts per million, substantially higher than the previously mentioned stipulation of 300 parts per million. These bags were removed from the outlets and are no longer being sold. After these results were revealed, more companies surveyed their bags, grocery bagswith many containing less lead, while others exceeded satisfactory amounts.

These results cause shoppers to be concerned, should they or shouldn’t they use the bags? According to experts, the harm is not caused by the |grocery bags reusable properties at the food market, but derives from what transpires when these items are ultimately discarded. At that point, the lead runs the risk of polluting the ground. Since the lead in the bag isn’t the type that can leach easily into food, they still constitute a more suitable option than the plastic bags which most people discard and which clutter landfills.

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.

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.

If you want to help the environment, you should consider recycling – but that’s not the only thing you can do. Growing your own food, living off the grid, and similar actions are great ways to protect the planet. It’s important, but there aren’t very many people who take it seriously just yet. If you’re one of the people who really want to do something good for the planet but you just aren’t sure how to get started, there are a few things you can consider.

First, recycling really is important. Don’t just recycle the plastic, paper, and glass that you use in your home, though. You should also have a compost pile for your garden and lawn, and you should be recycling all of those plastic bags that the bagger stuffs your groceries into at the market. Most of those markets have containers to put those bags in, so just return them to the store (and the container) the next time you go shopping. You’ll be doing your part of the recycling before you know it, and it’s really not that difficult. It also doesn’t take up much time, so don’t worry about that. Also remember to use green bags and eco friendly shopping bags when shopping. This can make a huge difference and eliminate the need to recycle so much in the first place

There are a lot of cleaners and household products today that are specifically designed to protect the environment from harm. You won’t need to worry about what kinds of chemicals your family and your pets are ingesting, and you won’t have to be afraid that you’re getting chemicals into the drinking water when you rinse them down the drain.

By using safe cleaning alternatives, you can do your part to protect the environment and you’ll still be keeping a nice, clean house for your friends and family to enjoy. It won’t change the world, but it won’t do it any harm, either.

While you’re recycling and creating a compost pile, you can use that compost for a garden. Growing your own food really isn’t that difficult. You just need to find out what grows well in your part of the country and determine when you need to plant it so you can get a great harvest. You’ll also want to make sure that you’re protecting your garden with some type of fencing so that rabbits and other small animals don’t get in and eat everything. You don’t have to use pesticides that can hurt the environment and the produce, either, because there are plenty of natural alternatives to keep your garden healthy so you can enjoy its bounty.

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.

Imagine for a moment, a future world where all the paper products we consume can sprout into a flower if planted in soil.  Like Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory where everything is edible, except in this ideal world: all the paper is seeded and sproutable, and the schnozberries still taste like schnozberries!  As it turns out, seed paper makes this possibility a reality.

If you’ve never heard of seeded paper, you’re not alone; who knew paper made from seeds could produce a flower or any plant for that matter? Yes, despite the paper making process, the seeds can still germinate which allows them to sprout when planted.  Seed paper is a beautiful, attractive, and easily recyclable product that can include a variety of plant seeds.

But why should we use and spread the word about recyclable seed paper and all recycled paper for that matter?  According to the CWAC (Clean Water Action Council) the answer is because of the environmental damage caused by the paper industry, which is much more than just deforestation:

8 major environmental damages caused by the paper industry (CWAC.net):

• Contaminated Sediments, Fish & Ducks — major source of toxic chemicals in rivers.
• Continuing Toxic Pollution — major source of toxic chemical pollution.
• Conventional Air Pollution — large source of  air pollutants like carbon dioxide, nitrous oxides, sulfur dioxides, carbon monoxides and particulates.
• Energy Consumption — energy intensive, drawing larges amount of electricity from public utilities, or forcing mills to build their own power plants.
• Water Consumption — uses a great deal of water.
• Solid Waste — generally produces a large amount of solid waste
• Deforestation — Worldwide, enormous tracts of forest are affected by the paper industry, contributing to the world’s tragic deforestation trends.
• Corruption of Democracy — The paper industry is a special interest and is well taken care of by the politicians and government.

Most of us are aware of global warming, man’s ever-growing carbon footprint, and harmful man-made pollution of all kinds.  We see with our own eyes the harmful toll on the environment caused by the cumulative effects of our individual human actions and habits.  We want to reduce, reuse, recycle, and make this world a better place for future generations, but sometimes we need to be encouraged, inspired, and reminded.  Seed paper is a great way to inspire each other to go green.

If you’re a business professional, environmentalist, business owner, salesperson, or just sending your annual holiday letter to friends and family, using seeded paper as your correspondence stationary is a great way to convey your personal or organization-wide commitment to reducing your carbon footprint while also saving trees.   Every time you give out your seed business card, or send out your holiday seed cards you are spreading the good news about seeded paper, recycling, and the absolute necessity for all of us to live and be eco friendly.  As the 40^th anniversary of Earth Day approaches (April 22^nd), there has never been a more appropriate time for companies to show their commitment to reducing their carbon footprint by adopting green practices to make this world a better place for future generations.

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!

I’d like to welcome Gordon and Wendy with BioGreen Systems to our eco community. Here’s there vision on the importance of raising awareness and green education…

The mission of BioGreen Systems Inc is to help educate and bring awareness
to the fact that there are safe, non-toxic, “green” alternatives available
to replace the toxic and potentially hazardous products the average person
now uses on a daily basis.

At BioGreen Systems, Inc. we take great pride in being able to provide a
complete line of high quality “Green Products” for Personal Care, Home
Cleaning and Laundry Care. These are the types of products that we all use
on a daily basis. What is most important to you in your search for “Green
Products” to use in your home or office? Is it the quality, the value, the
benefits to you and the environment, the availability, the company’s “green
integrity” or all of the above? Whatever your answer, BioGreen can meet your
needs.

BioGreen’s products are the very best that science and technology has to
offer, they are not tested on animals and are truly non-toxic, earth
sensitive, “green” products. They are not only safe, but also, cost
effective and multi-purpose. (Example: BioGreen’s EcoPure, mixed 20 to 1
with water, costs less than 50 cents per quart!) Most importantly, the use
of BioGreen’s products will help protect not only you and your family, but
also the surrounding environment. Our products are easily available, just a
“click” away when ordered online and shipped directly to you. Since
BioGreen’s products are so highly concentrated, (many are mixed with water
before using, saving you money) they require less packaging, which means
less fuel to ship, thereby having less of an impact on the environment. By
careful packing BioGreen is able to ship the products in the least amount of
packaging possible. With our use of packing peanuts made from cornstarch,
which are completely water soluble and are harmless to the environment, this
demonstrates just one more way that BioGreen gives evidence of our “green
integrity”.

Learn more about their green sustainable products on their website. We all need to be more concious of the toxic and unnecessary waste we produce on a daily basis. Wendy and Gordon are leaders in the green revolution!