Why is having a reusable bag responsible? Can’t we just recycle paper and plastic bags?
There is a reason the mantra ‘Reduce, Reuse, Recycle’ is in this order. Concentrating on reducing and reusing items should come first before resorting to recycling. Once the item is no longer useful, it should be recycled. However, the numbers for recycling paper and plastic bags do not add up to an appealing solution. Less than 4% of all plastic bags are recycled and the energy used to recycle paper outweighs much of the benefit versus virgin wood fibers. Both use valuable resources for a ‘disposable’ product which contributes to energy consumption and pollutes our environment. Owning and using a well constructed, reusable set of bags is a simple and effective way of being a responsible resident of our planet. And people will think you’re cool, too.
