Plastic Bags: How Do They Affect Our Environment?

Gisele Bündchen once said, "The environment has always been my passion. Mother Earth is our fundamental life-support system, and by becoming aware and responsible now, we can assist in preserving the planet.”

She was right. One of the ways in which we’ve been seriously damaging the environment is with our overuse of plastic bags.

How do Plastic Bags Harm Wildlife?

Plastic bags harm both terrestrial and marine wildlife in numerous ways, not the least of which being that the bags are often eaten by animals. Cows, for example, often die when they eat plastic bags that make their way into the cows’ grazing area. When animals eat plastic bags, they can suffer from intestinal obstruction, or they’re killed from chemicals in the bags or used to make the bags.

What do Plastic Bags do to Our Cities?

A huge problem with plastic bags in our cities is that they tend to obstruct waterways. Runoff water tends to wash plastic bags into gutters, and from gutters into sewers. Once there, the bags get tangled with other debris and clog our sewage system. Clogged sewers lead to poor drainage, which leads to flooding and other hazards for people living in the area.

Their Production is Incredibly Wasteful

It’s estimated that in the United States alone about 100 billion single-use plastic bags are used every year. To produce this massive amount of plastic bags requires 12 million barrels of oil. The amount of oil it takes to produce just 14 bags could get you a mile down the road. Finally, according to waste management, only about 1% of single-use plastic bags make it back for recycling every year. This means that 99 billion plastic bags end up in landfills, waterways, forests, and pretty much everywhere else.

How Can You Make a Difference?

Reusing is good for all of us, and if there’s anything out there you could use less of, it’s plastic bags. That’s why we at purifyou® are proud to offer our premium reusable mesh bags. Available in both cotton and polyester, reusable mesh bags from purifyou® are perfect for carrying produce, laundry, travel bags, beach bags, and more! Plastic bags are nothing if not a plague on the environment. If you want to do your part to reduce plastic bags’ impact on the environment, try durable, reusable mesh bags from purifyou® today.

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