the battle against plastic bags continues!
We all know plastic bags are terrible for the environment, but that's not the only bad news! Discarded plastic bags also kill 100,000 marine animals every year.
That's why teen environmentalist Athman Adiseshan created the website Bagsgag.org. His mission is to educate the public about the devastating effects of plastic bags and to distribute reusable bags. At Bagsgag.org, you can also sign a pledge not to use plastic bags, and even become a regional leader in the effort to ban plastic bags and educate others.
There is encouraging news: more and more cities are banning plastic bags. The list includes all unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County, as well as the cities of Santa Monica and Calabasas.
Has your city banned plastic bags, or is there any pending legislation that would ban them? Let us know how we Kind Lifers can help you ban plastic bags in your city!
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29 comments
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I live in Portland Oregon and I work for Environment Oregon. We just recently were able to ban plastic grocery bags all over Portland and now were working to make it a state-wide thing. So YAY! If your interested in helping us make this a reality you can go to our webpage www.environmentoregon.org. Even small contributions make a HUGE difference. We WILL win this campaign because this NEEDS to happen. -
Thanks for your post on plastic bags Alicia! Me + You... reusable shopping bags come with a signature removable heart shaped amulet inscribed with "Don't forget about me + you..." as a reminder to bring your reusable bag! Each time you reuse a shopping bag you make a positive difference for me + you...
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I visited a marine life hospital several times with my nephews and nieces. Every time we see sea turtles that have lost limbs because plastic bags got tangled around their limbs and cut circulation, resulting in amputation. It's so sad, but these visits really bring home he message to the kids. We are now much more aware and make an effort to minimize animals' suffering in any way we can.
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Apparently biodegradable plastic bags are available (e.g., trash bags): http://www.greenhome.com/products/cleaning/trash_bags/117162
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I'm all for reusing bags, but I don't like this hands-on idea of government bans. People must make these choices themselves. I'd love for people to wake up to the reality of what these bags mean for wildlife, but banning plastic bags seems a bit extreme. Educate people instead of forcing ideas down their throats. That is how real change is made.
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I recently moved to Amsterdam, and they don't ban plastic bags but they make a great effort to reduce the consumption of them. For instance, at many of the grocery stores you have to pay (less than 1 euro) per bag, or some grocery stores don't even have bags but just a bin where people recycle their bags for others to use. It's nice to see that people are starting to care.
If you're interested in the eco-conscious, vegetarian lifestyle in Amsterdam and beyond, check out http://jenzie.com/">Jenzie.com.
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Even if you reuse the plastic bags you are still contributing to them causing harm to our planet! Why doesn't anyone that reuses seem to get this? And tying up poo (kitty litter, etc) in a plastic bag is just plain silly. They do not biodegrade, like the poo is meant to do, and they just sit in our landfills... for so so long...
I have about a million reusable shopping bags. I always watch for when they go on sale at any of my stores, and I will buy them up like crazy (especially those made from recycled materials). I give them as gifts all the time, or make them like gift bags. They work so much better than buying those cheap gift bags that you pay an arm and a leg for (or are completely unfriendly to the planet) and reusable.
I got into the habit of saying "I don't need a bag" a long time ago. Nothing annoys me more than seeing my boyfriend come out of a store with something small, like a soda or a pack of gum, in a plastic bag. Seriously? I mean, that's just lazyness.
For those that still insist they are dependent on the stupid things, why not ask friends, neighbors, family members, or on your local freecycle for any unused ones? Lots of people that just don't get it still have plenty just sitting around, even those who have seen the light and use reusable ones might have a stash from way back when. That way you too can learn to say "Oh, I brought a bag" or "I don't need a bag" instead of getting a new evil plastic one.
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In San Jose, California, starting Jan. 1, 2012....single bags for customers are no longer allowed by retailors.
Therefore, if you buy only a few items be ready to walk out with them in hand or shop until you can fill two bags. What a great idea, for a city that works to be green!
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Alicia:
I stood in for you on the pilot "Bad Mother's Handbook". You were so kind to share your diet information with me (not diet--daily food consumption) When I found out you had published a cookbook I bought it right away. A friend told me about "the kind life". I love your ideas. So I am now a subscriber. I always bring my own bags with me to the grocery store. BUT I HAVE 3 CATS AND I HAVE TO CLEAN THEIR CAT BOX ONCE A DAY. I HATE IT. BUT I HAVE TO USE PLASTIC BAGS. I WOULD LOVE AN ALTERNATIVE THAT IS ENVIRONMENTALLY FRIENDLY! Do you have any suggestions? Thanks. Have a happy Thanksgivng.
Shannon
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I have been using cloth reusable bags for years, I am so glad that they are banning the nasty plastic ones, I wish they would ban them in Pennsylvania. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!
vanillabeanvegan.blogspot.com
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GARBAGE BAG QUESTION...I know our Whole Foods carries a bio-degradeable garbage bag for the kitchen can. For the smaller cans in the bathroom, we don't use bag...just rinse them out with really hot, hot, hot water every other week.
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wow! i had no idea of the devastating effects of plastic bags on marine life. at the beginning of this year, i made a vow to completely ban plastic bags from my life, but i'd ALWAYS forget my reusables at the grocery, so i'd end up either using my purse or buying more reusables. i was mad at this extra expenditure (thinking that my small contribution wasn't really helping the earth anyway), but now i'm happy for it, after having read this post. pittsburgh is so slow to the table on these sorts of reformations, so we are currently not a plastic bag free city. i will look into matters to see of how that can change. thank you for this post! www.nicoleandgwendolyn.com
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I bought a sewing machine on sale in order to make my own reuseable cloth bags and I reuse plastic bags and when they become really wornout, then I use them to put my garbage in...I believe to waste not, want not...I love my cloth bags...I can use pretty fabric bought in the discount section of the local fabric store to make them...
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Here in Colorado we have Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage where you must bring your own bags. No bag with you?~then you use a shipping box that they received and unpacked. Although other stores still offer both paper and plastic bags, there is a real movement here to banish the dreaded plastic bags, not to use paper and to use recyclable bags. Most people use cloth bags, not only for groceries but in other stores, as well. Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Blessings!
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Yeah, I'm also wondering about alternatives to use for garbage. Anyone have any information?
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Yeah I wish I would have known about Calabasses changing that I didn't know during the summer that happened and bought way too much stuff without my bags near by it was cool though my friend helped me carry.
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I don't know how many times I've found plastic grocery bags blown into my both my front and back yard. I found one on my neighbor's roof the other day, waited for it to come down and chased the d**n thing, until I got it. I myself, admit that its been hard for me to remember to bring enough of my reusables for my groceries, but its totally worth breaking the habit, for so many reasons. Especially for the ecological reasons. Also, for financial reasons. But, in the end it just makes sense not to use them. So don't.
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I have personally found I don't even need bags at all! I just use my cart! I put all my groceries in the cart when I shop, then on the conveyer belt when I check out and then the baggers put them back into the cart for me. I was pleased with how willingly the staff @ Publix in Flagler beach was to do this for me.
From there I take the groceries to my car, put them into my trunk, and drive home. When I get home I can grab a clothes basket, box, or one of my reusable shopping bags if I need it to get them inside from the car but usually I just carry them from the car to the house in armloads without a bag or box or anything. It was so much easier than I expected and then I didn't have to worry about the bags at all. It was easy even on a big trip with a 17lb bag of cat food! I was so shocked, I really thought it would be a pain, I think I made about 5 trips max from the car to house, and I love the extra exercise and not using any bags at all.
@Tamara I have four cats and a dog so this is important to me too as we have to use a bag when disposing of the feces/litter for city pick-up. I use all natural pine horse bedding that I get at a local feed supply store in town (costs a fraction of what pine litters cost in the stores) and then it is safe to compost in your yard compost (though you must do it for long enough or hot enough to make it safe to use on food plants) but it is safe to use on ornamental plants and then you have zero animal waste and no need for plastic bags at all. I'm not there yet, I'm only composting kitchen food scraps and the clean litter with feces removed but I'm working on getting to where I can compost it all safely. Kudos to you for wanting to lessen your impact! :) -
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I live in South Australia and our state banned the use of non- compostable plastic bags back in 2009. So far I think we are the only state in Australia with this law. We are encouraged to buy reusable bags. I am happy that our state has taken a step in the right direction.
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I totally agree that plastic bags are HORRIBLE!!!!! I plan to do conservation marine biology studies in graduate school and I want to stop the plastic from entering our precious oceans!
However, I was wondering what would be alternative bags to use for garbage?
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I just recently heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (or Pacific Trash Vortex) which consists of a large area containing 100 million tons of plastic debris floating in the Pacific ocean. Somewhere between the size of Hawaii and the size of the continental United States depending how you measure it. Stunning really.
Edmonds and Bellingham have adopted ordinances in WA where I live and Seattle is currently considering it for the second time.
Mark Osborne - www.VeganHealthAndFitness.com
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Florida tried to propose a ban, but it didn't pass. I've been using reusable bags for a couple of years now; prior to that, I always recycled my plastic bags. Our Target store will give you back 5 cents if you use a reusable bag...Go Target!
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Hey Tamara! I have discovered a compostable pet waste bag made by biobag. I live in sf and they are in most markets. They also make bags for compost and trash. I use the doggy bags for small scoops when cleaning the litter box and the kitchen compost bags for the bigger scooping jobs. I never have to use another plastic bag. .Woohoo! Here is their website-
http://www.biobagusa.com/Consumer.htm
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