How Using Reusable Bags Can Help Save the Environment

Did you know that the average American throws away approximately 185 pounds of plastic each year?

That’s a lot of waste!

One way to help reduce this amount is by using reusable bags. Reusable bags are made out of durable materials and can be used over and over again. Not only do they help save the environment, but they can also save you money!

Benefits of Using Reusable Grocery Bags

There’s no denying the damage that plastic bags cause to our environment, especially the ocean. Many of these plastic bags end up in our landfills and floating in our oceans.

That is simply not okay. Humans have become reliant on this go-to carry-all for shopping because it’s convenient and cheap. But have you ever stopped to think about the impact these bags have?

Studies suggest that by 2040 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean. The solution? Reusable bags! Just by making this small change in your lifestyle, you can contribute to saving the world for future generations.

Here are the benefits and advantages of using reusable grocery bags.

Ecofriendly

We live in a disposable world. We’re used to using and throwing away products, and only recently have we begun to think about how this affects the environment.

This is what happens when many people take actions based on what’s best for themselves instead of also considering the impact that it has on the planet.

Reusable grocery bags are a good example of this trend toward taking action to help the environment in our day-to-day lives.

The average person uses dramatically more disposable products per trip to the grocery store than they did twenty years ago. It’s estimated that single-use disposable bags are used around the world 300 billion times per year, and that figure is only growing.

We need to find a better way than this. If you want to reduce this number – our ocean friend, the turtle, will thank you! More reusable shopping bags now mean fewer turtles entangled in plastic later.

Whilst many argue that recycling plastic bags help the environment, in reality, it’s much better to stop the problem at the source, and stop using plastic grocery bags as most will just end up as plastic litter.

Economical

Reusable grocery bags are quickly becoming the norm. The thought behind them is that you can carry your groceries in a reusable bag instead of a disposable one.

When plastic and paper bags are used for carrying groceries they need to be thrown away. As a result, many grocery stores and even many cities and states are starting to charge for plastic bags.

Reusable bags are the way to go because they are reusable. Using them instead of disposable plastic or even paper bags, you will be saving money one each of your grocery trips. Additionally, the city will spend less in garbage disposal if the majority of its citizens are using reusable bags.

Practical

For the ease of shopping, and to save money in the long run, not only do we need to make sure that our bags are spacious enough, but also that they are long lasting far beyond their first outing.

Most reusable bags are durable (many lasting years) and simple to carry. Their hands are designed to make it easier on the hands and most of these bags are spacious enough, but also that they are long lasting far beyond their first outing.

Multipurpose

People often associate reusable grocery bags with grocery items. However, they are multipurpose. You can use them to carry other things around.

Most of these bags are made from durable materials and you can use them to carry a variety of items from groceries, to books, clothing, even things that aren’t suitable for regular plastic or paper bags.

Some of them have handles for carrying groceries, and exterior pockets that can even hold things like water bottles. A cotton bag is multi functional which means that you won’t need many reusable bags.

A cotton tote bag is also usually biodegradable or can be taken to a recycling plant. One bag will reduce the use of hundreds of single use plastic bags.

Are there any environmental downsides to using reusable grocery bags?

There are a few downsides to reusable bags in terms of sustainability. First, different materials vary widely in their eco-friendliness.

Second, many reusable bag take so much more material water and energy create that their environmental benefits only start show themselves after repeated use – usually after they’ve been used dozens of times.

Finally, some reusable bags are treated with chemicals like polypropylene, which can leach into food and water and cause health problems.

Despite these drawbacks, reusable grocery bags are still the best option for reducing your impact on the environment.

If you use them properly and wash them regularly, they will last for years and help reduce the amount of waste produced each year.

How to Choose the Best Reusable Shopping Bags

The reusable grocery bag has grown in popularity over the past 5 years due to the realization that heavy paper and plastic bags add up to a lot of wasted resources.

Fortunately, many people have started using reusable shopping bags that they bring to the grocery store. It’s a great way to help the environment, but people often get confused about which bags are the best for them.

The truth is that there is no perfect bag because they all have their pros and their cons. You should pick a bag that works best for you! Reusable grocery bags make living green easier than ever before, but you just need to find the reusable bag that works for you.

Here we’ll take a look at the most popular materials used in reusable shopping bags and what other things to consider when buying one for yourself.

Materials

Reusable shopping bags are made from a wide variety of materials. These bags can be made of natural materials like cotton, hemp, and jute. And synthetic materials like polypropylene, nylon, and polyester. So there’s a reusable shopping bag that meets everyone’s preference and taste.

However if you want to reduce your plastic waste and at the same time use reusable bags that is eco-friendly, then we highly suggest choosing reusable bags that are made from natural materials.

Cotton is one of the most popular materials used in making reusable shopping bags. And reusable bags made from cotton come in several variations – traditional cotton, organic cotton and recycled cotton.

Traditional cotton, also known as ordinary cotton, is one of the most widely used fabrics in the world. And it is also among the most sprayed crops in the world. Ordinary cotton production is labor intensive and requires excessive use of pesticides and insecticides. Additionally, cotton needs a lot of water to grow.

Organic cotton is similar to traditional cotton but is grown without the use of insecticides and pesticides. It is cultivated using materials that have little to no impact on the environment.

Recycled cotton is cotton fabric made from secondhand clothing items, textile waste and reused fashion articles.

Jute is another popular natural material used in reusable shopping bags. It is also referred to as burlap or hessian. It is one of the world’s most renewable and sustainable resources and materials. Known for its durability, jute can be used in the production of reusable bags, carpets, rags, throws, and ropes.

Keep in mind that the materials of reusable shopping bags affect their durability, how you wash and store them and how they feel when you use them.

Size

Reusable shopping bags come in a wide range of sizes. So when buying reusable bags for yourself, make sure you do a bit of research on the size of the bag you want to buy.

Other considerations include gusset size, handle length, closure or fastening type and if they are foldable or not.

Style & Design

Choose the reusable bag that fits your personal taste and preference. Most reusable shopping bags come in a tote bag style. You can easily carry them with your hand or on your shoulder.

How Do You Clean Reusable Grocery Bags?

One of the important things you need to do when using bags for your groceries is that you need to look after them. These bags are not expensive by any means but you also do not want to keep on buying them every time you go for a grocery run because the cost would accumulate quickly.

Keeping your bags clean and storing them properly is important for health and safety reasons. They are pretty easy to clean so there is no excuse to neglect them. So here are a few tips on how to clean and store your reusable grocery bags.

Reusable Shopping Bags Good Cleaning Practices

Different reusable bags require different washing techniques. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions when cleaning your reusable grocery bag.

You should wash the bags you use for meats and other animal products after every use.

Some bags have inserts at the bottom which is usually made from cardboard covered in fabric or vinyl. Remove your bag’s bottom insert if it has one before washing it.

For better cleaning, turn your bag inside out before washing. Some reusable grocery bags have nooks and crannies round the seams and these places could accumulate dirt overtime so you should pay attention to them when cleaning your bag.

Make sure your reusable bags are totally dry before putting them away for your next trip to the grocery store.

Avoid storing your bags in the trunk of your card. Bacteria, germs, mold and mildew naturally thrive in dark, humid and moist environments.

Keep your reusable bags dry by storing them in a cool and dry place at your house. Make sure that place where you store these bags have adequate lighting and ventilation where air can circulate properly.

Are Eco Shopping Bags Worth It?

Reusable shopping bags are a great way for consumers to both help the environment and save money. Over 1 trillion plastic bags are used globally each year. When all of those bags are used just once and then thrown away, that is an unbelievable amount of plastic waste!

Once these bags have reached the end of their lives, they break down into small pieces of plastic that are ingested by wild animals, treated as a toy by marine birds and mammals, and could cause soil pollution.

Single-use plastic waste is a pressing issue that many governments around the world are trying to address. One solution to this problem is buying reusable shopping bags which are stronger than traditional plastic shopping bags and can be washed in a washing machine when dirty.

Reusable shopping bags are made of several different materials including canvas, leather, and nylon. They’re also available in various sizes so you’ll have one with you when you’re buying anything from them.

What about paper bags?

Paper bags are often considered more eco-friendly than plastic bags simply because they are made from paper which is biodegradable.

However this is a common misconception. Sure, paper bags break down naturally and they can be used for composting. But if you take into consideration other factors like production, paper bags aren’t looking green.

Paper bag production requires extensive use of energy and resources. Many studies show that it takes about three times as much resources to produce a paper bag than to produce a plastic bag.

Chemicals are also being used in making paper bags which adds to its negative impact on our environment. Not to mention, many trees are being cut down to produce paper products. This is the exact opposite of what we need to be doing.

We need to be planting more trees, not cutting them.

Should you use reusable bags instead of plastic or paper bags?

The short answer is yes. Doing so helps reduce your plastic waste. But one thing to keep in mind is that reusable bags vary widely in terms of materials and each of these materials have their own environmental implications.

For instance, cotton is one of the most popular materials used in making reusable bags. It is a natural resource which sounds good but growing cotton requires heavy use of resources like water and extensive use of chemicals like pesticides and insecticides.

There are also bags made from a durable kind of plastic which is called nonwoven polypropylene or PP. While it still takes many years for polypropylene bags to start decomposing, they are far more eco-friendly than regular plastic because they do not release as much toxic chemicals and they are highly recyclable.