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Reusable Bag Statistics
Each Year:
- 1 Trillion one-time use plastic bags are used around the world
- Nearly 2 million plastic bags are used and disposed of every minute. (Earth Policy Institute)
- Harmful plastic bags cost US retailers an average of $4 billion (National Resources Defense Council)
- American families take home approximately 1,500 disposable plastic bags (EarthInstitute)
- More than 1.7 billion tons of crude oil is burned each year to produce plastic bags alone. (Food Democracy)
- Plastics are almost completely derived from petrochemicals that are produced by the burning of fossil fuel. Around 4% of petroleum production is converted directly into plastics. (British Plastics Federation 2008)
- Manufacturing plastics also requires energy, making production also responsible for the consumption of a similar additional quantity of limited resource fossil fuels.
- The ultimate loss of using these valuable, limited resource fossil fuels to produce plastics is estimated to be anywhere from $4-$12 trillion. (EIA.gov)
- Environmental groups and activists continue to question why we are not utilizing solar, wind or renewable resources to produce plastics, as this initiative would support a sustainable future and secure a cost-effective strategy for plastic production. (Royal Society Publishing)
The Planet and Plastic Pollution:
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Of 7 types of commonly used plastic, only two are routinely recycled. These are polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE). Only 6.5% of the 33.6 million tons of plasticbags used by Americans each year are recycled. (Columbia.edu)
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Pollution of our seas doesn’t originate in oceanic dumping. Instead, the natural elements of wind and rain carry debris to our waters and continuously accumulates in patches of toxic waste. Plastic is so durable that the EPA reports “every bit of plastic ever made still exists.” (Biological Diversity)
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Researchers have found that plastic debris acts like a sponge in absorbing toxic chemicals, which makes it an even greater environmental terror. (New Statesman)
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The time in which it takes a plastic bag to fully decompose, depending on the specific plastic type, is between 100 and 1,000 years. During this long process of decomposition, disposed plastics leak several potentially toxic pollutants into the soil of landfills and are carried naturally to our oceans. (Columbia.edu)
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Plastic is forever. It creates waste and pollution at every stage of the production process that theEarth cannot digest.
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Plastic causes health issues in humans, the environment and negatively affects every aspect of our food chain with toxic chemicals. (Everything Connects)
Ocean Life and Plastic Debris:
- When marine animals pass away as a result of plastic debris ingestion or entanglement, the toxic debris remains in the ocean and guarantees to continue threatening wildlife. (Worldwatch Institute)
- Each square mile of ocean contains at least 46,00 pieces of floating plastic. (Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme)
- The “Great Pacific Garbage Patch” is a massive concentration of plastics and other debris that has been dumped into in the North Pacific Ocean over time. Small pieces of plastic debris are suspended together just under the ocean surface, invisible to both the naked eye and satellite technology. (Book.It)
- First discovered in the late 1980’s, the size of the Great Pacific Garbage Patched is estimated to be twice the size of France. (The Telegraph)
- There are 6 times the amount of plastic debris in the North Pacific Ocean as there are zooplankton,“plants of the sea” that are key components of pelagic ecosystems and form the base of most marine food webs. (Marine Bio)
- In California, U.S, nearly 25% of the fish investigated from markets contained plastic debris in their guts.Sea Turtles and Seabirds mistakenly ingest the debris, leading to ulcers, damaged stomach lining and death. Marine mammals such as monk seals, the endangered Stellar Sea Lion and sperm whales have washed up motionless on California shorelines, tangled and paralyzed by plastic debris. (Worldwatch Institute)
The air pollution, excess waste and profound effects on ocean life caused by the overproduction, consumption and disposal of single-use plastics is quickly destroying our planet. We have one chance to save ourselves from the self-created dangers of plastic pollution and sustain the one planet we have for future generations. To reduce the negative impact caused by disposed plastic on soil, seas, marine life and our own health, we must rid the use of single-use plastics entirely.
In the US alone, 100 billion plastic bags pass through the hands of consumers every year. This equates to almost one bag per person per day. Looking deeper into this statistic, more than 20 million Americas in 132 cities and counties live in communities that have enacted plastic bag bans or charge to use plastic bags. The term “negative externalities” refers to additional negative costs associated with a product. The best example of this is arguably cigarettes, which have an additional courtesy of the federal government in the effort to offset the health costs resulting directly from product use (smoking).
In regard to single-use plastic bags, millions of dollars in negative externalities fees are initiated to combat the pollution created by their production. While this taxation has taken place for years, California was the first state to take positive action against the practice. This has since evolved into an inspiring national movement. Hawaii has created a prohibition of sorts on single-use plastics, as its’ four populated counties have totally eliminated plastic bags at all grocery stores. There are 11 cities in Texas, such as Austin and Dallas, which have bans on plastic bags.Washington D.C. has begun charging a .05 cent fee for plastic and paper bags.
A backlash from the plastics industry has resulted, challenging plastic bag bans, fees and supporting opposition groups. Plastic industry leaders are even filing lawsuits against communities that are attempting to pass legislation to ban or charge for plastic bags. In last-ditch efforts to deter the public and continue their wasteful methods of plastic pollution, the plastic industry has released multiple ad campaigns of false information about the recyclability of plastics. By representing all plastics as recyclable, they are trying desperately to change the public’s perception of plastic bags.
Certain brands have taken a proactive stance to ridding the planet of single-use plastics and securing a sustainable future for our planet. Whole Foods, among other national retails, not only have ceased handing out plastic bags but have begun to credit shoppers 5 cents if they bring their own reusable bags to shop. This eco-friendly initiative proactively preserves the planet while cost-effectively establishing “green” brand value. With reusable bags that reduce waste, limit pollution and establish an eco-friendly brand image, your brand is guaranteed to reap benefits in long-term profitability, popularity, customer loyalty and increased market share.
Custom Earth Promos invites eco-conscious customers of all sectors to browse our creative collection of responsibly sourced, environmentally friendly reusable bags. From recycled, “green” grocery, eco-friendly lunch and wine totes, insulated cooler bags, recycled trade show bags and so much more, we guarantee to have the perfect reusable bag to meet your needs. With the best custom design and customer dedication in the industry,we guarantee a brand exclusive reusable bag that benefits the environments while building your image with eco-conscious value.
Call a Custom Earth Promos’ in-house design expert at 866-454- 6949 to begin building a brand exclusive design of reusable bags for your business. We’ll work with you every step of the way to define the best size, style and custom design of “green” grocery bags, bamboo or jute totes, insulated coolers, trade show totes or messenger bags. Your dedicated design expert will discuss every possible aesthetic detail, from colors to custom imprints,add-ons and bag dimensions, to ensure a final product that fully captures your brand and current campaign. Never hesitate to give us a call to discuss campaign or design ideas, order free samples or inquire about any of our innovative eco-friendly products.
We look forward to joining forces with you to better the planet and benefit your brand with ethical materials, production methods, and eco-optimized promotions!
