Paper=How Many Trees?
By now, most people are probably aware of the very negative effect that plastic bags have on the environment-the chemicals, the time it takes for them go break down, the chemicals that are released when they do break down 1000 years or so from now SO we "do" the eco-friendly change of using paper bags. Now, that's warm and fuzzy because, after all, paper bags WILL biodegrade, right?
While on the topic of paper--some facts about junk mail--
Consider the facts about paper: (41pounds.org)
More than 100 million trees are destroyed each year to produce junk mail. 42% of timber harvested nationwide becomes pulpwood for paper.
energy used to produce and dispose of junk exceeds that used by 2.8 million cars
28 billion gallons of water are wasted to produce and recycle junk each year
the average person wastes 70 hours per year dealing with junk mail
pulp and paper industry is the single largest comsumer of water used in industrial activities (after the chemical and steel industries
Solution? GreenDimes.org or 41pounds.org
for a nominal fee you can stop the great numbers of pieces of junk mail coming to your home! Just pennies a day will save so much for our planet and relieve the drain on natural resources.
(not to mention the energy used to transport them from their places of origin to your house)
Call the catalogue companies and tell them you'd prefer to peruse their offerings on your computer and wish to have catalogue delivery ceased. Most will do so with a quick email.
On to paper bags:
According to http://www.daviscoop.com/grocery_bags.html
"The Hidden Cost of Grocery Bags" by Lisa Lucio Gough, "...even paper bags require the use of valuable natural resources , produce numerous pollutants during manufacturing, have negative impacts on wildlife and neither is effectively recycled."
In 1999, 14 million trees were used to make 10 billion paper bags. Paper bag manufacturing requires virgin timber (to make them stronger). Timber is made into wood chips which must be heat-treated and in so doing many byproducts are created polluting waterwasy and producing greenhouse gases which are absorbed by fewer trees (many of which were cut to make the paper). "In fact, according to the Film and Bag Federation, a trade group within the Society of the Plastics Industry based in Washington, D.C., paper bag production requires more energy, generates more solid waste, produces more atmospheric emissions and releases more waterborne wastes compared to plastic grocery bags."
So, what should you do? Carry out your grocery items to your car one by one? Dang! Who is going to do that when you have food enough for a family of 4 for 2 weeks? I sure wouldn't!
The great thing about all of this grim information is that there IS an alternative that is good for YOU, good for the store (who would have less cost and subsequently *hopefully* a bit lower prices, and good for the environment. REUSEABLE BAGS for all shopping and market purchases!
Several ecoetsy stores sell them so you can give the earth and fellow etsians a boost. (Eco and Trashion members who sell reusable bags, please post a comment. OR, if you know of a store selling them, please comment.
Fashion Green T Bags has OOAK bags made from RECYCLED clothing.
Use recycled paper paper products. While even recycling requires energy and produces waste, far less of each is used for recycling.
Ecoetsy has many stores who sell items made from recycled paper. (Sellers, please post your comments here telling everyone who you are.)
Complete the cycle by using recycled paper paper towels and TP (Reasonably priced at Trader Joe's and at Whole Foods in my area. Check your local health food stores and chains for their prices. The quality is good (Whole Foods TP is the most popular at our house.) and the choice is earth friendly.
BEST PRACTICE is reduce and reuse (not with some things...see above). Next best is recycle when you can't reduce or reuse. Save the earth one item at a time!
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Contributor's Note
One bag not used will help the planet for a time. Billions of bags not used will aid the planet for lifetimes.
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