Eco Living - Ditch Plastic Bags For Good

For some time now, plastic bags have been having some bad press and rightly so. They have become a plague to the environment and wildlife.

Innocuous at first, they quickly end up in the trash. From there they find their way to landfills, oceans, rivers etc… How many times have you tried to reuse them only to find out they already have holes in them or are just not strong enough beyond a single use?

Once you discard them, they end up polluting the environment and take hundreds of years to break down. Single-use plastic bags are of course the worst offenders, they turn up everywhere from clogging up drains to floating in the infamous trash vortex that is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.

The problem has grown to such a proportion that increased amounts of tiny plastic particles known as microplastics can now be found in the air as well as in our food. In fact more than a quarter of all fish now contain plastic. Plastic is made with chemicals which are hazardous to human and animal health; not really what you want to find on your plate.

The good news is that since the 5p charge was introduced in the UK, plastic bag usage has dropped 85%. Still, there are occasions where personally I am caught short of a bag while shopping. And on those occasions, I get really mad with myself. First, because I end up having to take a plastic bag, second because I hate wasting money.

Here are some of my fail-safes to always have a reusable bag with me:

Keep one in my handbag.
Keep one in my work bag / backpack.
Have one in the glove box of the car.
I literally add “reusable bags” to my shopping list so I remember to take them: yes, I do get that frazzled at times 🙂
Any kind of reminder works (phone, sticky note on the fridge etc..)
As soon as I have unpacked the shopping, I gather some up next to the front door ready to go back in the car.

I came across Envirosax reusable bags and really like their stylish designs. Strong and durable, they can quite comfortably hold as much as two to three plastic grocery bags and have been tested to hold at least 20kgs (44 lbs). They are water resistant and also fully washable.

I like the fact that they can be neatly folded to fit discreetly into a handbag or a pocket. Because they are so easy to carry around, you can always have one at hand so you do not get caught out having to get a plastic bag while shopping.