For a long time now, I have eschewed plastic bags at retail stores, and instead (whenever possible) asked for paper. I figure that even if it certainly takes energy and trees to create the bags, at least they don't overwhelm landfills and kill wildlife after disposal. Plus, I used them a second time, either for kitchen trash or cat litter.
But over the last year, Veva and I have started being much more conscientious about bringing canvas bags with us when shopping so we can avoid having to use either paper or plastic.
The problem for me is that I would run out of bags for garbage. What's a tree-hugger to do?
Veva solved the problem. She found 100% biodegradable and compostable bags from BioBag.
The bags are made of Mater-Bi, made by Novamont SpA. Here is what BioBags says about their products:
"All of our products contain GMO free starch, biodegradable polymer and other renewable resources. No polyethylene is used in the production process. BioBag products meet ASTM D6400 specifications and California SB 1749 requirements. We will never compromise our earth or our standards."
Sounds good to me!
So....if you do not already live in a sane part of the world - that is, a part of the world where plastic bags are no longer given away free and in great, profligate quantity -- and you desperately want to avoid filling up our world with plastic, order a bunch of BioBags.
And then buy yourself a bunch of reusable, durable canvas bags to bring home your food and other products from stores.
2 comments:
Once agian I have to send you a big THANKS! I have always tried to do what I can to help our poor earth and its environment. I can't say I drive the best of cars but I do recycle and thought I was doing great at shopping because I re-used my paper bags to hold my recycling and my plastic to hold my garbage; I know plastic and landfills are not a good combo. Anyway, I think I will have to go look at my local NATURES store and see if they have some of these BioBags and then go get some cloth ones for shopping. Keep up the great blog writing and have a good one.
Luckily I'm living in a country (Austria/Europe) where plastic bags are not given away for free (at least in most supermarkets).
I just came back from my trip to Vietnam and Cambodia where I have seen the other side of giving away plastic bags for free. As a result you see them really everywhere! On the roadside, in front of houses, in trees, in the rivers, ... Really horrible if you come from a country where you are not used to that environmental pollution!!! And nobody seems to care in this countries.
But at least I heard from an effort in China to forbid this low quality plastic bags, because there they have the same problem.
Patrick
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