A better alternative
| A better alternative17-03-2013 02:34 | |
Treeuse ☆☆☆☆☆(3) |
Did you know this? When you go shopping, it is better to use the standard polyethylene shopping bags that are often provided free of charge by the supermarket or shop, than using the average premium-priced 'bags for life' or cotton re-usable bags. A recent study (Spring 2012) published by the UK environmental agency compared the emissions associated with the production of various types of carrier bags that people use for shopping, and the amount of times people reuse different types of bag before discarding them. The results indicated, amongst other things, that one would need to reuse a cotton shopping bag more than 271 times to offset its higher carbon dioxide emission association than that of standard supermarket plastic bags. On average, however, reusable cotton bags are often used only 51 times in their lifetime before wearing out or being simply thrown away. People are being tricked by clever marketing into the tacit thought that cotton bags are better for the environment than plastic ones. Indeed, they are better for landfill, but in terms of their contribution to global warming, cotton bags are generally something which should be avoided, now that you know the truth. Until now. My colleagues and I have launched a small enterprise; selling stylish cotton bags, and planting a tree for every bag sold. We don't retain any profits; everything goes to the reforestation charity WeForest. At only £3.50, it could be one of your better purchases today. Trees on average absorb around a tonne of CO2 in their lifetime, so by planting trees for bags sold, we offset the emissions associated with the production of each of our bags more than 3 times over. To our knowledge, these are the world's first carbon negative cotton bags of their kind. Yes, buying one of these bags isn't going to save the world, but its the little things we do which contribute to big change. Get your hands on one at treeuse.co.uk Attached image:  |
| 26-03-2013 18:55 | |
| Jason_ATX☆☆☆☆☆ (2) |
Wouldn't it be better to sell the standard polyethylene shopping bags and plant trees? If you are offsetting 3X on bag sold and standard polyethylene shopping bags have a lower carbon impact it seems that selling standard polyethylene shopping bags and planting the same amount of trees would have a bigger positive impact. |
| 26-03-2013 19:14 | |
| Treeuse☆☆☆☆☆ (3) |
A valid point, thankyou, but the idea we have is that we are offering an alternative to the worst contributor of its kind to carbon emissions. People will continue to buy cotton bags, not simply due to the misconception that they are better than polyethelene bags, but also because they are stronger, more stylish and much more comfortable to hold. We think that its much better to offer people a better alternative than to simply tell people not to buy/use them. Don't you agree? |
| 26-03-2013 19:19 | |
| Jason_ATX☆☆☆☆☆ (2) |
Great point. I had not thought of it that way. While changing the behavior would be best, if the behavior won't change then change the impact of the behavior. Good job. |
| 26-03-2013 19:37 | |
| Treeuse☆☆☆☆☆ (3) |
Thank you Jason! |
| 25-06-2013 00:12 | |
| terrae☆☆☆☆☆ (2) |
This is amazing -- such a great idea, and so inspiring! I don't actually use bags (I'm a cyclist, little hard to carry 'em!), but I wish you all the best on this most worthy endeavor. Hats off to you -- and hopefully one day more businesses will follow your lead! |
| 23-04-2021 18:55 | |
| Wake★★★★★ (4034) |
You know, there are a lot of people on this planet, so I'm sure that someone can spout off statistics on how many tons of whatever is used in the production of plastic or cotton or wood pulp for paper. But it is really all pretty much meaningless. After hearing about the "floating island of plastic" in the Pacific Ocean I actually looked it up and using Satellite views and actual data discovered that this "island" was in fact the Pacific vortex caused by the north equatorial currents in the south and the north pacific current which turns into the California current which starts the entire process over again. This "Island of Plastic" is a piece of plastic 1 mm in diameter per cubic meter of seawater. There is a bacteria that eats this plastic so it has to be renewed all the time and this occurs as most of Asia loads all of their garbage with a large load of plastic onto barges, hauls it out into the ocean and dumps it. Of course this floating bargeload of garbage are what the pictures of "floating island of garbage" is being presented. Greta Thunberg is a little uneducated girl being used by her parents to make absolutely stupid things to people her own age who are unaware that the environmental movement is almost entirely lies and that MORE damage has been done by these people than good. If you want to go down to the seashore or the bayside and clean up garbage, you should. I have done this many times. But the very next day it is back again in the same numbers. What you need to do it teach people not to pollute and with a million new illegal aliens coming in per year that is impossible. They don't even speak your language. |
| 23-04-2021 20:25 | |
IBdaMann ★★★★★(14389) |
Wake wrote:You know, there are a lot of people on this planet, so I'm sure that someone can spout off statistics on how many tons of whatever is used in the production of plastic or cotton or wood pulp for paper. Why does any of this matter and what does it have to do with your undefined "Climate"? Wake wrote: There is a bacteria that eats this plastic so it has to be renewed all the time and this occurs as most of Asia loads all of their garbage with a large load of plastic onto barges, hauls it out into the ocean and dumps it. It still doesn't matter. Between the bacteria and the ceaseless churning of the ocean, it breaks down. Humans are no match for the power of the ocean. This is why no one has ever seen this "island of plastic." It's precisely the same reason all the gullible people panic at reports of disappearing glaciers in Greenland. No one will ever personally go there and verify that it's not true at all. Wake wrote: If you want to go down to the seashore or the bayside and clean up garbage, you should. I have done this many times. Good on you. This is definitely a noble effort. What does it have to do with your undefined "Climate"? Wake wrote: and with a million new illegal aliens coming in per year that is impossible. They don't even speak your language. ¿Cómo que no? Hablan muy bien mi idioma y lo bueno es que ya no quieren ensuciar a la playa, ni al bosque ni el desierto ni nada porque tienen muchas velas en ese entierro. Todo anda bien. No te preocupes.  |
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