A quick monthly read that helps you take small steps to lessen your environmental impact - SIMPLY

~A quick monthly read that helps you take small steps to lessen your environmental impact - SIMPLY~

Monday, July 6, 2009

JULY TIP: Green Up Your Trash!


So, you've taken the step to eliminate plastic shopping bags (YAY you!) and have a new found love for reusable bags. Now it's time to take an important next step in reducing your plastic bag usage: your trash can liners.

Reducing the number of plastic bags we use within the average American household is between 300 to 700 plastic bags a year. And these bags are essentially new plastic pouring into our waste management system.

Why not make the switch to bags made of plastic already in the waste cycle? Most recycled trash bags are also bio-degradable and will decompose in a landfill within 2 years. For comparison, a trash bag can often take decades to break down if it's not constructed with bio-degradable materials.

It's a simple switch that will pay big dividends in the landfill.

Here are some brands to look out for:
http://www.perfgogreen.com/products.html - You can currently find these in any CVS Store, Walgreens, amazon.com, drugstore.com, Sprouts Farmer's Market (see site for other locations) This brand also carries mini-doggie bags too!

http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/search/search_results.jsp?oss=1&removeAllFacets=true&addFacet=SRCH:Earth%20Essentials - A big "shout out" to CVS for creating a new line called Earth Essentials. Many new, earth-friendly, recycled material, products. Including TRASH BAGS!, as well as plates, paper towels, etc..

http://www.seventhgeneration.com/Recycled-Garbage-Bags
- You find this brand in some Targets, Whole foods, etc.. See site for other locations.

-Please search your local grocery stores, pharmacy's, etc. for these products or others that are similar that they may carry.

*Most importantly, please think before you actually throw-away. Ask yourself..."Can this be recycled?" The answer is probably yes! Recycling your trash is always the first priority.
BUT if it needs to be thrown away, have a good recycled, bio-degradable bag to make-up for the waste!*

We hope this tip helps you stay a little more GREEN SIMPLY!

4 comments:

Molly said...

This is a great post! We use the paper shopping bags from TJ's for our trash. They fill up fast, but it works and it's FREE :) We're still trying to get recycle bins for our apartment - hopefully we'll be in full recycling mode soon.

GOING GREEN! Newsletter said...

Thanks! Yeah we use those often too! I saw these bags in CVS and just had to make it a tip! So many people just don't make an effort to use anything but plastic...ugh! Yeah I hope they get the "recycling ball" rolling soon too! :o)

KillerB said...

I saw an article recently about how CVS and Target are jumping on the "BYOBag" bandwagon by offering a cash back perk to their customers if they bring their own shopping bag in. Don't know what that "cash back" looks like, but I thought it was really cool that they were making the effort. (I mean, it'll save their company big bucks to not have to produce so many plastic bags each year...)

GOING GREEN! Newsletter said...

Beth that's really interesting. I wonder when it will start? I know i get 10 cents off now at Target because of my bags. I wonder if that's it. Thanks for reading the blog!!!!