Lastnight I went to Target and DOH! I forgot to bring my handy-dandy reusable Target bags. I forget them way too often, and I have to sheepishly haul my wares to the car in those horrible plastic bags. I am sheepish because:
- Single-use bags made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) accumulate and persist on our planet for up to 1,000 years.
- The U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually. An estimated 12 million barrels of oil is required to make that many plastic bags.
- Plastic bags cause over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistake them for food.
- Each high quality reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime.
So...this year for Earth Day, I am vowing to go the entire week without using plastic bags (or paper for that matter - it's not better). Not just at Target, but everywhere...in my lunch, at Kohl's, and anywhere else I need to go this week. I have put a Target bag and another plain reusable bag in my car. (And don't worry, I rarely escape a week without at least 2 trips to Target, so I guarantee that more shopping is required!)
This is something simple and easy, and will hopefully help me re-establish good shopping and lunch-packing habits. I'm ashamed that I've become so lax. Will you join me by trying it for just one week?
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