7 Benefits of Reusable Shopping Bags

Did you know that there were more than 68 million tons of pollution that were dumped into the Earth’s atmosphere in the year 2020? Pollution is slowly but surely harming the planet, but there are little things that you can do in order to start making a difference. Reusable shopping bags might not seem like a big deal, but they offer a ton of big benefits for you and those around you.

Sustainable shopping is starting to gain traction with stores ranging from groceries to athleisurewear. It is your duty as a caring world citizen to shop sustainably and practice green shopping. The good news is that you’re in the right place to learn some sustainable shopping tips that will make the world a cleaner place.

Keep reading this article to learn the seven benefits of reusable shopping bags today!

1. Reusable Shopping Bags Conserve Resources

It might sound crazy given how small and lightweight they are, but plastic bags are horrible for the environment in a number of ways. They require a ton of energy to produce for use by shoppers in the United States of America. Millions of barrels of oil are burned each year in order to meet the plastic bag demand in the United States.

Another way to look at things is that you can drive an automobile a mile for every 14 plastic bags that get manufactured. All of that can get eliminated if you make the decision to start practicing some eco-friendly shopping tips. Make sure that you shop here for some great bags to help you shop sustainably.

2. Decreases Pollution

In addition to saving valuable and finite resources for other purposes, green shopping and reusable shopping bags also eliminate a ton of pollution on the planet. Plastic is horrible for the environment because it doesn’t degrade or break down quickly. Plastic bags will take anywhere from 15 years to 1,000 years to break down and disappear from the environment.

That is the best-case scenario, as it takes that long when the plastic bags make it to the landfill. Most plastic bags find their way into the waters of Earth’s oceans. The citizens of the United States use billions of plastic bags each year, but only a few of them ever end up getting recycled.

3. Prevents Recycling Problems

Recycling is a great idea with most resources, but it doesn’t work as well when plastic bags are considered. Using reusable shopping bags eliminates the need for plastic bags, which is huge since they’re not as easy to recycle or reuse after the first time. Plastic bags clog up the recycling machinery since they have a tendency to get caught in the gears and wheels.

The good news is that there are drop-off sites that are dedicated to handling and processing the plastic bags that you wish to get rid of. It makes doing your part a lot easier. Many grocery stores offer places where you can drop off your collection of plastic bags in order to get them recycled rather than harming the environment.

4. Protect Wildlife

Plastic bags and other types of plastic waste are a massive cause of unnecessary death to marine creatures worldwide. It is an easy mistake to make for these marine creatures to confuse plastic bags and plastic waste as food. These animals will get asphyxiated or will choke on the plastic and meet their demise.

These plastic bags are also harmful to animals that live on dry land. It takes only a slight breeze for a plastic bag to end up in a tree or snagged on a branch. From there, small animals end up getting trapped in them and end up killing the animals.

5. Strength and Durability

Another big reason why you need to look at getting reusable shopping bags is the strength and ruggedness that they provide. If you’ve ever used a canvas shopping bag then you know that you can fit a ton of groceries in them without risking a break and damage to the food you’ve purchased.

It is also quite difficult to tear the handles off when you’re using these reusable shopping bags. They’re much easier to use when loading or unloading groceries into your vehicle and you’ll have peace of mind that the bag won’t tear or get damaged.

They’re also much safer when it comes to sanitation and germs. If you experience a leak in your reusable shopping bag then you can throw it in the washing machine and it will be good as new.

6. They Save Money

It is becoming increasingly normal for stores to charge you for using plastic shopping bags when you go shopping. It might not seem like much at the moment to drop a dime for each shopping bag that you need, but that will add up over the course of the year. If you’re using ten shopping bags during each grocery trip then you’re spending an extra dollar each time.

You’re better off purchasing some reusable shopping bags since you’ll get many years of use out of them and save money while doing so.

7. They’re Versatile

There are a number of functions that a reusable shopping bag can get used for. They’re large, strong, and durable and they work similarly to how a tote bag works. They make great lunch bags and you can use them to carry snacks for road trips or picnics with friends and family members.

You can use your reusable shopping bags for anything that strikes your fancy. Best of all, you can do so with the knowledge that you’re making a difference when it comes to the health of others and nature.

Start Using Reusable Shopping Bags Today

It is a matter of time until plastic shopping bags start to have dire consequences on the Earth and nature, but you can do something about it by using reusable shopping bags and practicing green shopping. You’ll save finite resources like oil and you’ll prevent the unnecessary deaths of thousands of animals around the world. Best of all, you’ll save money and get a versatile bag.

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