The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) states that humans produce 300 million tons of plastic globally every year. Half of the plastic consumed is for single-use. In 2016, the United States alone had produced 42 million tons of plastic waste—the most generated by any other country.
Unfortunately, humans only dispose of a tiny fraction of plastics the correct way. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) found that 8.7% of plastics were recycled, or 3.3 million tons, in the United States in 2018.
Plastic bags can take approximately 1,000 years to break down, in which the particles seep into and contaminate the earth’s soils and waterways. This requires extensive purification of our drinking water to keep humans from consuming plastics. Even still, scientists believe we ingest about 5 grams of plastic every day, about the weight of a credit card.
There are several valid reasons why plastic bags should be banned, including the harm it causes to humans, wildlife and ecosystems. Yet, you may be wondering how to use them less and what alternatives are available. Here are five effective ways to cut plastic bags from your shopping.
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