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Reduce usage of plastic bag essay sample

The advantages of plastic are , the misuse of plastic bags may be responsible for environmental contamination, they are much more eco-friendly than many assume, especially when looked at from their creation to their eventual end. Plastic from plastic bags is polyethylene, which is made from polymers refined from natural gas and sometimes oil. The polyethylene forms long chains of atoms, mostly carbon and hydrogen, that make it keep its shape and give it the strength to hold other objects while remaining very light.

Including all different types of plastic bags, the United States manufactures almost 90 million of them a year. Manufacturing plastic bags is a much more simple process than it may first appear. As a whole, producing plastic bags creates 50 percent less greenhouse gas emissions than producing paper bags, which require a more complicated, detailed process. Making plastic bags also uses 70 percent less energy and leaves 80 percent fewer byproducts than paper versions. Compared to the alternatives, plastic bag manufacturing is a highly efficient process that produces little waste and requires much less energy.

Depending on the process used, plastic bag factories also tend to produce fewer water pollutants than alternatives. While plastic bags do sometimes end up in natural environments through littering and careless actions, most can be recycled as easily as the paper versions. Plastics are synthetics and cannot become part of the ecosystem again, but they can be used again in other materials, most notably composites like composite wood. These composites are made up of recycled plastics and other substances which can be reused as light and durable construction materials.

While plastic bags can be recycled, only around 15 percent of them actually are, while the others are thrown into normal waste disposal containers and end up in landfills. To mitigate this problem, some eco-conscious people choose to buy “ permanent” plastic bags that they take with them to do their shopping. The disadvantage of the plastic bags are, it is not renewable, which means they cannot be easily recycled like paper bags. They are made of petrochemicals, which is what makes them non-renewable and a risk to the health of the planet.

They last for hundreds of years, all the while doing damage to natural habitats and killing animals that mistake them for food. The more plastic bags people use, the greater the chances of environmental damage. If not carefully disposed of, plastic bags can be devastating to animal life. DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) reported that 1, 678, 900 tons of plastic packaging was in the UK waste stream in 2001. Because plastic bags do not decay quickly, they stay in environments longer, causing more build-up on the natural landscape than a more degradable material like paper would.

The Marrickville Council reports that over 100, 000 whales, turtles and birds die every year as a result of plastic in their environment. Infants and young children have died as a result of playing with plastic bags. Every year, the Consumer Product Safety Commission receives about 25 reports of plastic bag-related infant death. Because of the thin, airtight material, infants can easily block their mouths and nostrils with the plastic bag and suffocate. To over come this problem, we can Buy a reusable fabric bag. Bags made from different kinds of fabrics, such as canvas or cotton, can be used repeatedly and are usually washable.

Most grocery stores and retailers are happy to have customers use non-plastic bags. We can reuse plastic bags in creative ways. For example, plastic bags can be used to stuff a giant pet pillow, to line paint trays or the baseboards when painting a room, or they can be stored in the car for wet clothes and shoes. There’s really very little need to get more bags because the opportunities to reuse the ones you have are endless. Fill a bag until it’s ready to burst. Place as many items as possible in one plastic bag and you’ll find it easy to reduce waste.

Casher are notorious for putting only a couple of items in each bag. Help them out by bagging items yourself. Even if you are unable to stop using plastic bags completely, the reduction is a significant step forward. Get a reusable shopping bag. After unloading your groceries, put it back in your car so you do not forget it. If you forget to bring it, ask for paper bags and recycle them when done. If you do get plastic bags, save them and bring them back to the store (recycle) or use them for other purposes. Say “ No, Thank you” to store’s plastic bags.

If you buy a blender at a department store, you do not need one of their big plastic bags. Some people suggest leaving the packaging with the retailer, too. We also can carry our own items . If we are just buying toothpaste and some aspirin at the Shop is no need a plastic bag. We must do it as part and simply carry your own items if you are physically capable, you might even be able to count it as some type of strength training exercise. We shout make reusable bags fashionable. There are a lot of stores that offer their own bags for reuse, but why advertise a store when you can make your own reusable bag?

Enlist some crafty friends and pool together extra fabric and supplies to sew your own fabric bags. This could become addicting. You might find yourself making re-usable cloth bags to match every season or holiday and even bags to match your outfits! Reusable bags are a great way to reduce your use of plastic bags and overall consumption of wasteful items. Not only that, it can be fun and fashionable at the same time! We got many ways to reduce usage of plastic bag. The problem is people are no follow it.

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