{"id":4365,"date":"2021-03-05T21:55:55","date_gmt":"2021-03-05T21:55:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/chariotstg2020.wpenginepowered.com\/?p=4365"},"modified":"2025-06-03T09:41:19","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T09:41:19","slug":"how-reusable-bags-help-the-environment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/chariotenergy.com\/blog\/how-reusable-bags-help-the-environment\/","title":{"rendered":"How Your Reusable Bags Help the Environment"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The year is 2021. Recycling is officially cool, and single-use plastics are out. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Stores, cities, states and entire countries have banned single-use plastics. This often includes plastic forks, food truck styrofoam clamshells and grocery bags you will use once, maybe twice, and then throw away. Sure, these items are super convenient for 30 minutes, but they can last for hundreds of years<\/a> and pollute our environment. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you can recycle them (here\u2019s how<\/a>), but most recycling facilities don\u2019t, and what gets recycled is often recycled incorrectly. In fact, according to the EPA, the United States generated 4.2 million tons of plastic in 2018, and more than 3 million tons were sent to the landfill. The rest was either burned for energy or recycled.1<\/sup> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Taking Steps in the Right Direction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Clearly, things have got to change \u2014 and they are! One way is to change our mindset about recycling. Another way we can lower our environmental impact is to cut the need for single-use plastics entirely. Enter the reusable tote bag, a tiny but mighty game-changer in the journey to greener pastures and cleaner skies. \ud83d\ude0e<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let\u2019s talk about what makes these durable shopping bags totes fetch.<\/em> We also need to discuss how you can prevent the dreaded \u201ccollecting dust\u201d syndrome that plagues even the most religious of reusable bag owners. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Single-Use Plastic Bags vs. Paper Bags vs. Reusable Bags<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Single-Use Grocery Bags<\/th>Paper Bags<\/th>Reusable Bags<\/th><\/tr><\/thead>
  • Cheap<\/li>
  • Takes 20 years to break down<\/li>
  • Not easily recyclable<\/li>
  • Not compostable<\/li><\/td>
  • Compostable<\/li>
  • Recyclable<\/li>
  • Natural fiber<\/li>
  • Requires lots of resources<\/li><\/td>
  • Reusable 1000+ times<\/li>
  • Many different materials<\/li>
  • Sustainability depends on how often you use them<\/li><\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Plastic Grocery Sacks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    You collect single-use plastic bags at the grocery store to carry your food home. And they\u2019re not as bad as people make them out to be, but they\u2019re far from perfect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Let\u2019s explain. Plastic grocery bags actually have the lowest environmental impact compared to many other types of sacks or bags. People typically use them about twice: once when they bring their groceries home and another for other things around the house, such as a trash can liner. Additionally, they are on the lower end of the plastic timeline, taking about 20 years to break down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    The problem? They\u2019re hardly ever used more than twice, they cannot be recycled easily (do not<\/strong> add them to your recycling bin), and if they are recycled incorrectly, they can actually damage recycling machines. Here\u2019s how to recycle them properly<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Paper Bags<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

    Paper bags can be more eco-friendly AND more harmful than single-use plastic bags at the same time. It all depends on how you use them: <\/p>\n\n\n\n