Archive for December 16, 2009
Reduce: Green(washed) Bags
You know how everyone raves about green bags? We have a bunch of them at our place, in our efforts to reduce the number of plastic bags we bring home from the grocery shop. You all heard me rattle on about my unwilling connection to plastic bags, and my alternative green bags a while ago.
Well, it turns out green bags aren’t so green after all.
I had a suspicion this was the case. I knew they were made from plastic, but I already owned the green bags and never really bothered to look into it. Bad hippy, I know. Anyway, now I know the deal:
- Green bags are also made of plastic (which comes from oil and biodegrades extremely slowly)
- Green bags are difficult to recycle
- If green bags are recycled, they make nasty thermoplastic elastomer (used in things like snowmobile tracks, shoe soles and catheters)
- Green bags tend to be manufactured overseas and thus plenty of energy is expended getting them to you
- Green bags break too, eventually (trust me on this!) and are difficult to repair
- The piece of black plastic in the bottom of the bag snaps and is generally a pain in the arse (it’s not recyclable either).
Ok, so the last two I added myself, but they are just as valid.
We buy 5kg bags of basmati rice in a cotton bag (sort of like the little one on the right).
Do I think green bags are a better option than regular plastic bags? Sure thing. It’s still better to reuse plastic a bunch of times than go for single use items. However, if we can make the same product out of natural, biodegradable fibre (like our Guard basmati rice bags), isn’t that an even better choice?
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