Did you know that Americans use 100 billion plastic bags a year, which require 12 million barrels of oil to manufacture? The average American family takes home almost 1,500 plastic shopping bags a year!
The Center for Biological Diversity shares 11 fast facts about single-use plastic bags on their website and here are a few of the big shockers:
- The store, Target, gives away enough plastic bags a year to wrap around the Earth 7 times
- According to Waste Management, only 1% of plastic bags are returned for recycling. That means the average family only recycles 15 bags a year…the rest end up in landfills as litter!
- Up to 80% of ocean plastic pollution enters the ocean from land and at least 267 different species have been affected by plastic pollution in the ocean.
- 100,000 marine animals are killed by plastic bags ANNUALLY.
Enough is enough! Let’s do the good thing and REFUSE single-use plastic. The truth is two fold when it comes to plastic – the manufacturing and use of it is horrific for our health and the health of the planet and they are simply not necessary.
Want to learn more? Check out our The Silent Killer: Plastic Bags video co-produced with Bookmans.
Kelly King is a woman taking small steps toward a healthier happier life and planet, all the while caring for her two children, husband, cat and Mrs. Green’s World.