Bag yourself the right sort of carry all

Source: noosanews.com.au


BAN THE BAGS: Dallas Dyer, on Noosa River is concerned about plastic bags having a negative impact on the environment.

IF YOU have decided to ditch the plastic bags and opt for reusable bags, it's important to know they are not all created equal.

Here is a guide to help you choose the right reusable bag:

Green bags

Green bags sold in supermarkets are often made from non-woven polypropylene, a non-biodegradable by-product of oil refining. If used over and over again, they have a good environmental benefit. Green bags can be recycled, but unfortunately only minimal amounts are currently being recycled.

Cardboard and paper shopping bags

Paper bags decompose and are recyclable, making them a good alternative to plastic.

Many shops offer cardboard boxes on checkout for customers to use as an alternative to using a plastic shopping bag.

Calico shopping bags

Calico is a strong cotton fabric and provides a durable alternative to a plastic bag. An unbleached calico shopping bag is preferable since fewer chemicals are consumed during production.

Hemp shopping bags

Hemp is a very strong and rot resistant textile material.

Industrial hemp can grow in poor soil conditions with minimal water.

As the Australian Government eases hemp regulations, hemp shopping bags will become cheaper and more common.

Hessian shopping bags

Hessian shopping bags made from jute - a durable, strong natural fibre that is biodegradable.

Cloth scrap bags

Cloth scraps can be recycled and stitched together to make shopping bags.

This is a great way to recycle and repurpose a material that would otherwise be discarded.

The benefits of reusable bags:

 Polypropylene 'Green' bags hold twice as many items as plastic bags.

 Reusable bags are easy to carry, having comfortable handles while some can even go over your shoulder.

 Polypropylene and other calico or cotton reusable bags will not burst from heavy shopping items such as tins or soft drinks.

 The plastic bags you don't use don't have to be produced, recycled or disposed of. Using reusable bags helps make the world safer for wildlife, and saves resources for future generations.

 There are also several styles of reusable bags on the market that can even be worn as a fashion statement

Sad snapshot

Only an estimated 3% of Australia's plastic bags are currently being recycled.

In the marine environment plastic bag litter is lethal, killing birds, whales, seals and turtles every year.

Approximately 30 to 50 million plastic bags enter the environment as litter in Australia annually.

The estimated costs to governments, businesses and community groups is over $4 million per annum to clean up littered plastic shopping bags.