Kicking the Plastic Bag Habit
Blog post written by Luke Baumgarte, LFA Sustainability Intern.
It comes as no surprise that plastic bags are detrimental to the environment. They pollute our oceans and natural places, are made from fossil fuels and research shows that only 1 percent of plastic bags are returned for proper recycling. Plastic bags and other soft plastics are also the number one contaminant in the co-mingled recycling stream, causing sorting machines to become jammed and facilities to shut down to repair them. The good news is that there are plenty of ways to avoid plastic bags that require some simple habit changes.
1) Choose reusable bags. Whether you are swinging by the grocery store or on an all-out shopping spree, a reusable tote bag can eliminate the need for plastic (other than your debit card). Many local retail shops offer options, including the following local businesses:
Redemption Market sells tote bags that are ethically and environmentally sourced.
Keep Nature Wild’s bags allow you to announce your commitment to a litter free world.
Sprouts Market sells grocery bags with images of glorious veggies like brussel sprouts and hatch chiles. They also carry reusable mesh bags for your produce.
Refuge Café offers bags made by refugee women from vinyl signs and banners in their Phoenix shop.
Bookmans, Cowtown Skateboards, Pop Cycle and Zia Records have fun options for you to haul your goods around in.
2) Refuse a bag. Whether you are picking up a to-go food order or purchasing a few items at the market, let your cashier know that you don’t need a bag at all. Local businesses Zia Records and Buffalo Exchange have impactful donation programs where every time a customer declines a bag, the money the business would spend on the bag goes to a local nonprofit.
3) Patronize businesses that ban plastic bags. More and more businesses have stopped using plastic bags including Crane and Carbon, Tracy Dempsey Originals, Arizona Wilderness Brewery, Fair Trade Cafe and Bookmans (check out their great PSA, The Silent Killer). If you frequent businesses that use plastic bags only, politely ask the business owner or manager if they have ever considered switching to a paper bag or other eco-friendly options.
4) If you can't avoid plastic bags, make sure to properly recycle them. Plastic bags require a different recycling process than hard plastics and can never go in your co-mingled recycling bin. Instead, they can be dropped off at stores that participate in the Bag Central Station program that turns the bags into plastic lumber to be used in park benches, playgrounds, decks and fences. Plastic Film Recycling has a search option to find locations where you can drop your plastic bags off to be recycled.
It's up to each of us to make decisions that protect the environment. Spreading awareness and making simple lifestyle changes will benefit the environment for future generations. Kicking the plastic bag habit is a great step in the right direction.
