Coming to a city near you, if it hasn’t already, is new legislation or taxes against disposable shopping bags – both throwing them away, and using them altogether. Many cities around the United States are going for all all-out ban on plastic bags, so you might as well get ready! Or use our tips to get more in the habit of using reusable shopping bags.
It’s Kind Of a Pain. What’s In It For Me?
The US goes through approximately 100 billion plastic shopping bags each year which costs $4 billion in higher fees at the register since stores must absorb the costs of providing us their bags. Likewise, it costs us approximately 17 cents per bag in taxes for plastic bag pollution clean-up. To give you a better idea, in a state as large as California, that’s $25 million annually in taxes to clean shorelines and river sides.
So it seems like a great idea to get over using plastic bags and get a jump on reusable bags ahead of everyone else. They are nothing new and many “green” living people have used them for well over a decade or two instead. But changing over to reusable from plastic is often easier said than done! If they have made it into your car, at least, they probably are left there and not in the store with you when you reach the checkout. Why is it so hard to get into the habit of actually using your reusable shopping bags? It takes a bit of mindfulness and preparation to change a lifelong habit.
6 Tips For Getting Away From Plastic Bags
You’re going to find yourself in some sticky situations a few times until you get in the habit and get used to shopping with reusable bags. Hopefully we can help!
- Have at LEAST 5 of your favorite bags
- Have 5 bags in each car
- Decide where to keep them
- Write BAGS on your list
- Put them back in the car as soon as possible
- Get educated to stay motivated to be bag free