Be Good To You

Could there be a more compelling symbol of our throwaway society than a plastic bag, trapped and flapping on a suburban hedge? Even when disposed of properly, it is likely to end up in a landfill site, where it will take hundreds of years to decompose, slowly emitting harmful carbon dioxide.

On a brighter note there is a simple and proven solution to this environmental blight. Ireland imposed a modest plastic bag tax back in 2002, which has reduced their use by 90 per cent. The bad news is that, despite the fact that plastic bag pollution is every bit as bad as it used to be around the globe, governments are reluctant to follow Dublin's example.

Yet something is stirring at a grass-roots level in this country and abroad, without regulations put in place by the government. Many citizens around the western world have imposed their own voluntary ban. And the heads politicians turn, as they are starting to realize the environmental effects of wasteful policies.

Many people are not aware of the hidden costs of producing and cleaning up plastic bags, catching in trees, blocking sewer grates and ending up in the stomach of an animal that subsequently died from eating a plastic bag.

The marine animals are most widely affected, beached whales have been found to have over seven pounds of plastic bag fragments in their stomachs.

Back in 2005, a cleanup event in the U.K. called Beach Watch, saw 3,891 volunteers survey 332 beaches. On average, 1,981 items of litter were found per kilometer, with plastic items making up 59 per cent of the recorded litter.

The town of Leaf Rapids in northern Manitoba, Canada, is the first local government to ban the use of plastic bags in North America. The shores of California have followed suit this past September.

Some grocery chains have sensed which way the wind is blowing, with many now offering reusable bags, and charging a small fee for plastic bags. Charging a small fee for plastic bags is an incentive to reuse the bags, but due to the lack of strength, the plastic bags often don't last.

At ptoone.com we also noticed the torn plastic bags blowing in the wind. Thats why in early 2007 we launched our very own reusable cotton canvas bag. The ptoone.com bags have an endorsement from Environment Canada to assure environmentally safe standards are met. These bags are rigorously tested for durability and strength, ensuring the $5 cost a worth while investment.