Wednesday, September 21, 2011

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

No comments: