Overall recycling rates are increasing, but so is our population. More goods are being produced and more natural resources are being used, and many are wasted when we throw things away.
We’ve compiled some of the most astonishing recycling facts; some are alarming, and all of them should make us realise that we need to be more aware of what we are throwing away, if we are going to preserve the planet and its natural resources for future generations.
Each year the United States uses 30 billion plastic and 10 billion paper grocery bags, requiring approximately 14 million trees and 12 million barrels of oil.
Each high quality reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime.The bag will pay for itself if your grocery store offers a discount per bag for bringing your own bags.
Introduced just over 25 years ago, the ugly truth about our plastic bag addiction is that society’s consumption rate is now estimated at well over 500,000,000,000 (that’s 500 billion) plastic bags annually, or almost 1 million per minute. In a landfill, these single-use bags will take up to 1,000 years to degrade.
Each high quality reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime
Plastic bags cause over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistake them for food.
The average family accumulates 60 plastic bags in only four trips to the grocery store
Each high quality reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime. The bag will pay for itself if your grocery store offers a discount per bag for bringing your own bags.
Annual cost to U.S. retailers alone is estimated at $4 billion. When retailers give away free bags, their costs are passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices.
