Prohibiting plastic bags was a great initiative in Quebec. Unfortunately, many citizens still regularly use them. Sometimes we forget our reusable bag at home, however, there are many other ways possible to reduce our daily plastic consumption.
Here are a couple of tips to reduce the use of plastic bags, while improving our ecological footprint.
Plastic bags in numbers
Every second that passes, 160 000 plastic bags are used in the world.
Plastic is unfortunately a consumer product, which means: the more we use them and the more they are produced.
On average, a plastic bag is used for 12 minutes.
Often, they are thrown directly after one use. Only 3% of the plastic bags will be recovered.
The production of plastic bags requires the use of a large amount of petroleum products, water and energy.
This conception generates many greenhouse effects that are responsible for global warming.
If one person only used reusable bags during their lifetime, that would represent 22,000 fewer plastic bags in the environment.
Each person can make a small gesture for the planet and make a huge difference. Let's be aware of our surroundings to avoid the use of plastic bags!
Tips and tricks to reduce our use of plastic bags
Get a reusable bag. Easy to store and durable, getting yourself a reusable bag is a practical option to avoid the use of plastic bags. Plus, you can find more and more cute ones!
Use cloth bags for your fruits and vegetables at the grocery store. You can even make your own little bags with leftover fabrics hanging around the house. Another great way to save the planet!
Turn to bulk. Buying bulk is an excellent way to reduce our use of plastic bags. It is important to arrive at the store well prepared with cloth bags, containers, jars. There are many options for shopping in bulk!
Refuse plastic bags. Sometimes we forget about our reusable bag at home. If that occurs, once you are at the cash desk, you must ask yourself the following questions: Do we really need it? And is it possible to carry these items in our hands? If the answer is yes, let the employee know that you don’t want any plastic bags. Often, they even sell reusable bags at the cash for a dollar or two.
Cook more. Products that come straight out of our own kitchen do not need plastic bags. Also, buy your fruits and vegetables when they are in season, since they are most likely locally produced, which reduces ecological footprint, due to transportation.
And what about the plastic bags we already have at home?
Nothing forces you to throw them away. Think about how you can keep them for as long as possible. Pack, cover and protect your items. Next time you go on vacation, remember to cover your shoes with your old plastic bags to avoid dirtying the contents in your luggage!
At Mimi & August, we strongly believe that it is important to say no to plastic bags, to avoid waste and to respect our environment. To learn more about plastic and its harmful use, visit the websites of Équiterre and the David Suzuki Foundation.
All statistics come from: