Go Green - Trash Plastic Bags
More and more communities, including countries from China to Ireland are imposing bans, fines and restrictions on the use of plastic grocery bags. The larger trash bag continues to raise environmental concerns.
The trash bag, used for collecting leaves and containing kitchen garbage, have the same drawbacks as the small grocery bags. The are made from petroleum-based synthetics, so both extraction and manufacture contribute to greenhouse gas emissions.
Trash bags are used almost exclusively for disposal, which means that they are contributing to the growing landfill problem and are preventing compostable and biodegradable materials from decomposing.
The challenge -- trash bags are almost essential to even the greenest consumer. Many communities require that trash be gabbed rather than set out loose in trash containers to discourage animals. Few people have been able to reduce their household footprint to the point that they are no longer generating trash. This continues the problem.
Here are some suggestions on how to cut down on your use of plastic trash bags. In addition to ratcheting up your recycling efforts to reduce your waste output, follow these steps and watch your use of trash bags shrink:
Limit the use of trash liners to only those receptacles that collect wet or drippy garbage.
For smaller cans, such as those in the bedrooms or living areas, eliminate the trash bag. Many waste cans now come with a removable, washable plastic liner so you don't have to continue to use small liner bags.
Use bags you already have, such as brown paper bags from grocery stores, tired-looking gift bags and department store bags for trash.
This option is green because you're recycling, but it's a less green option because you shouldn't have these items in the first place if you've converted to taking your own cloth bags to the store.
Designate the lined trash bin as the home's "central" receptable and empty the smaller ins into this one.
That way you can limit your weekly bag use to one.
Look for biodegradable trash bags.
These bags are made from corn or other renewable sources, and many manufacturers advertise that they can biodegrade in a compost bin in just days. Even if you set them out for your weekly trash pickup, at least they are breaking down in the landfill.
