Plastic bags info

*  According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually.  (Estimated cost to retailers: $4 billion)

*  Only 1-3% of plastic bags are recycled worldwide. 

*  Industry figures show 90% of all grocery bags are plastic. 

*  Plastic bags are made of polyethylene which is a petroleum product.  Production contributes to air pollution and energy consumption. 

*  It takes 1000 years for polyethylene bags to break down. 

*  The amount of petroleum used to make 1 plastic bag would drive a car about 11 meters. 

*  Plastic bags don't biodegrade, they photdegrade- breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways.  They then enter the foodweb when animals accidently ingest them. 

*  86% of all known species of sea turtles have had reported problems of entanglement or ingestine of marine debris. 

*  Approximately 1 billion seabirds and mammals die each year by ingesting plastic bags.  Not only that, these poor animals suffer a painful death.  The plastic wraps around their intestines or they choke to death.

*  Less than 5 percent of US shoppers use canvas, cotton, or mesh bags.  Please change that number by choosing reusable bags when you shop.    

Thank you for collecting info love your earth