DID YOU KNOW...

If NYC banned plastic bags, the city would save
$250,000/year from cleanup.**

Bags last between 15 and 1000 years!**

Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide.*

Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade—breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits
contaminating soil and waterways and entering the food web when animals accidentally ingest.*

In 1999, 14 million trees were cut to produce the 10 billion paper grocery bags used by Americans that year alone.
(RootsandShoots.org)

Each year, an average European family (2 children) throws away 100 lbs of plastic (equal to 13,500 plastic bags).**

**These facts were found in the book: 365 Ways to Change the World, by Michael Norton.

Plastic Bags...a waste of money

If you buy 1 re-usable bag ($0.75-$2) and it saves 2-4 plastic bags each trip and you shop once a week...
You will save approximately 156 bags/year!

Following the same logic, if 2 people buy 2 re-usable bags, they could save 600 bags/year. That's just 2 people spending $3-4! Imagine if everyone in your city used re-usable bags...everyone in the country...the options are limitless. Think about all the animals' lives that will be spared with 150 less plastic bags in the environment and think about all the money that could be saved from cleanup each year.

**Each high quality reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime. (Roots and Shoots website)

Everyone can make a difference! Check out this article: An 8 year old on a Mission

Trader Joe's: $0.99 They also offer canvas/tote bags for $2.50-$5. Review: These are fantastic! They are the size of a standard paper grocery bag, but are made of a durable, heavy duty plastic. They are lightweight and can fold up small enough to be carried in a purse. I use them for all of my shopping, not just groceries at Trader Joe's.	Ralph's: $1.50 With each reusable shopping bag purchased, a 50-cent donation will go to benefit Earth Share of California and its environmental charities. Customers will also receive 5 cents back each time they use their Ralphs reusable shopping bag.	Whole Foods: $1.00 Go reusable! Our latest reusable bags are available for just $1. Each time you fill a reusable bag at Whole Foods Market, we will credit 5¢ to your grocery bill!
No Picture   Costco: 2 for $1.79 Costco is looking to cut back on boxes. It's been testing out sales of reusable bags in Canadian stores, where they've been a big hit, and recently started selling reusable bags in the San Francisco Bay area, a two-pack for $1.79	IKEA Big Blue Bag: $0.59 All IKEA stores in the US will charge a nickel per plastic bag. Proceeds of up to $1.75 million will go to American Forests, the nation's oldest non-profit citizens conservation organization, to plant trees to restore forests and offset CO2 emissions (we mentioned that program here).	No Picture   Target: $1.50 The bag will be offered at a minimal price and will provide an option to our environmentally conscious guests by supplying an alternative to plastic bags.
1 BAG At a Time: 10 bags for $15.99 With this bag, you can help save the world - 1 bag at a time. Use it every time you shop and discover how easy it is to preserve natural resources. Website offers bulk bags for cheap!	ReUsableBags.com: $2+ You can find all sorts of reusable bags (recycled, hemp, bamboo, etc...) and important information on this website!	Cheap Tote Bags: $1.50 All of our bags are manufactured specifically for Cheaptotebags.com. We design our product line to be sure each tote bag is absolutely 100%, tasteful, durable, and affordable.
EnviroSax: $25 Envirosax Organic series bags are printed with vegetable based inks and are all packaged a recycled cardboard box that has been printed with organic soy-based waterless inks.