When human civilization faces the threat of extinction, there are several reasons for us to start taking care of the environment around us. Keeping such considerations in mind, more and more people have decided to go the environment-friendly way. Banning plastic bags or getting rid of them is certainly one of the biggest measures adopted by human race to save the environment. Over time, there has indeed emerged a number of ways of doing this. Let us now take a look at some of them.
You can start by donating promotional plastic bags to a food bank near you. For those who did not know, these bags generally operate completely or partially off of donations. This can include bags carrying groceries.
Another great idea is to dump the whole mass in a recycling bin. There are about hundreds of thousands of these bins scattered across the town. All you need to do is find the right one out. A good majority of grocery stores out there, in fact, have drop-off bins near the entrance where you can put all your plastic bags. The items are then recycled and subsequently reproduced.
You can also consider dropping the plastic bags off to the nearest recycling facility. Most such facilities are known to recycle plastic, thereby making it easier for you to drop the bags off.
All said and done, the big question remains as to whether disposing of such bags can really lead to environment conservation? This reminds us of a famous newspaper column appearing a few years back which categorically denied the banning of plastic bags to have anything whatsoever to have with eco –friendliness.
Without delving deeper into the topic, all that can be said is, while outright bans may not actually be the best possible solution, yet they pose a great problem and the problem needs to be addressed. Plastic bags are not only bad, but for a major part-downright unnecessary.
Countless older folks would be happy to give you fond recollections of a time when they weren’t just here. There is no denying the fact that the bags have to an extent made life easier. However, that cannot possibly be a reason to damage the whole environment together with the life it supports and nurtures.
According to a study conducted by the University of British Columbia, around 93% of northern fulmars (sea birds related directly to albatross) had plastic filled bellies.
It would, however be wrong to presume that it’s about bags only. Human beings today have become dependent on plastics for a string of uses, right from packaging to products. Hence, decreasing or lowering the use of such bags is undoubtedly a great place to start getting all our addictions under control.
Being lightweight, such bags are easily carried by water and wind. In addition to accumulating in the ocean, the bags are also known to litter the natural areas and streets. You may be surprised to know that the bags take around 1000 years to break down. Even then, the bags do not biodegrade. They, in turn, simply fragment into tinier pieces. This makes them twice as much likely to be gobbled up by land and marine animals. This nondestructive nature of plastic bags has actually led to a splurge in recent demands to get them recycled.
Also Read: Recycle and Reuse: 4 Tips for Keeping Your Electronics out of the Landfill
If you have got used to plastic bags and do not really see getting rid of them, then simply dump them for re-usable bags. The latter can be found in a variety of shapes, patterns and sizes everywhere. Yes, at times people tend to worry about contaminants or about bacteria. However, all that can be fought easily if you wash the bags properly. With these few notes in mind, getting rid of plastic bags would appear as easy as having a piece of cake.
