linkHow do you choose? What is the most eco-friendly alternative to the plastic bag?
The truth is, these days it is almost impossible to find a totally eco-friendly material. Most products have at one point of their manufacture used some sort of polluting energy, dye or chemical, taken litres of water to produce or arrived in the UK by a carbon emitting form of transportation. It can also be difficult to find a product that is not produced in a country where the labour conditions and environmental standards are questionable.
That said, of course it is important to address these issues and to look into the most environmentally friendly alternatives possible. But, don't let this put you off on your path to a greener way of living. It is possible to do something positive for YOUR planet even if it doesn't tick every environmental or ethical box, it is a start.
Recycled Cotton/Other Materials
As our campaign puts a huge emphasis on re-using- recycled anything has to be a good thing. Making use of resources that have already been harvested/manufactured rather than seeing them heading off to landfill. It's even possible to make bags out of recycled bottles! A great option.
Jute
Jute comes from the Corchorus plant. It is spun into coarse strong threads, the fibre is called Hessina and is used alot as packaging in agricultrue and industry. It thrives in hot moist climates and is grown in India, Pakistan and China.
It does not go through the same industrialisation processes as cotton and does not require the same amounts of water. It is a more environmentally friendly option and is also biodegradable and recyclable.
info from: http://www.nexuscollections.com/news.php
Hemp
Hemp is another great plant. It does not require huge amounts of pesticides or chemicals in its production and grows quickly. It is also biodegradable and looks great.
THE PROBLEM WITH PAPER
'I think we should be using the paper bags for our grocery shopping, they are much better for the environment'.
WRONG!
Paper is not the solution to plastic. In Northern Ireland, where a plastic bag tax has been put in place,many stores are now offering paper bags. This is not an environmentally positive solution.
Why?
The production of paper bags actually uses up more energy than the production of plastic bags. Paper manufacture means we lose carbon absorbing forests. The production of paper bags significantly pollutes water and air-it is also very expensive to recycle in terms of energy used. However, paper bags have a higher recycling rate than plastic bags (not hard) but unfortnately, the majority of paper bags used in shops come from virgin pulp which is more durable.
Current research demonstrates that paper in today's landfills does not degrade or break down at a substantially faster rate than plastic does. In fact, nothing completely degrades in modern landfills because of the lack of water, light, oxygen and other important elements that are necessary for the degradation process to be completed.
For more info:
www.reusablebags.com
http://www.charityguide.org/volunteer/fifteen/plastic-bags.htm
Degradable? Biodegradable? Compostable?
Degradable plastic won't disappear but will break down into smaller pieces of plastic. This may not be for some time, so the plastic degradable bag may remain in its shape to cause untold damage to all kinds of wildlife.
Bio-degradable plastic will disappear (eventually)it may take up to 50 years so it can still cause damage whilst around.
A good compostable corn/potato starch bag can go on your compost heap and disappear within months. But it must be disposed of in the right environment.
See article about all of the above at:
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/consumer/caring/article.html?in_article_id=431498&in_page_id=511
Cotton
Non-organic cotton has huge implications for the environment:
It is not widely known that cotton as we know it plays a huge polluting role in our environment. The cost of our so called cheap clother revolution is coming at a high price to people, wildlife and the environment on the other side of the world.
Huge quantites of pesticides and insecticides are needed in the mass production of cotton. These are generally derived from petrochemicals. Some 22% of all the chemicals sprayed on crops worldwide are used on cotton alone. Heavy pesticide use reduces biodiversity, disrupts ecosystems, and contaminates water supplies.
The problem with prolonged use of these pesticides is that the pests become immune to them. This means that the farmer must then buy more chemicals which he generally cannot afford. He borrows money, makes less profit, becomes destitute. The chemicals used are highly toxic causing harm to those who must work with the crop.
On top of all this, conventional cotton farming requires huge amounts of water. This has led to desertification in some areas. Where land has become semi-desert, the soil has lost its value and is unfertile. The loss of water has meant loss of jobs and homes for many.
Organic cotton
However, the production of organic cotton is much more benefical to the farmers, the wildlife and the environment. It does not use the harmful chemicals used in conventional farming and can actually be benficial to the soil. The more people switch to organic farming, the more the large companies will have to change the way in which they operate. As the consumer-you have the power to change how things are manufactured. Cheap fashion is not the answer-the planet cannot sustain it and neither can the millions of people affected by it.
Information from www.peopletree.co.uk
it is important to remember that both forms of cotton must be imported thus emitting carbon in their transportation. Both types of cotton must also be made into bags- what types of conditions do the workers who make the bags work under? How much energy is required in processing the cotton into a workable fabric and then into bags?
