BYOBag - Bring Your Own Bag Campaign
Californians use BILLIONS of single-use carry out bags EVERY YEAR that end up in our landfills, streets and oceans. Good Earth recently joined Marin Bring Your Own Bag, a coalition of community groups including Teens Turning Green working to develop an ordinance banning single-use bags. Marin residents now throw “away” more than 100 million bags annually. Animal and Human Health at Risk Last summer, National Geographic published a new scientific study, the first to show that plastic breaks down at cooler temperatures than expected, 85 degrees—within a year, not hundreds as previously thought. Degrading plastics are leaching potentially toxic chemicals such as bisphenol A, an endocrine disrupter in humans and animals, and styrene monamer, a known carcinogen. 267 species are affected, sometimes fatally, by consuming plastic for food by mistake. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Manufacturing paper bags uses trees, energy, and water and other nonrenewable resources. A small percentage of all paper and plastic bags are actually recycled. Remember: reduce, reuse, recycle. Recycling requires inputs of energy and materials. Reuse is the real answer. Upcoming BYOB Days in Marin-Feb 20, March 20, & April 17. Join us on the third Saturday of every month for BYOB Day in Marin, and also bring your reusable bags whenever you shop. We offer customers credits for bringing reusable bags: 10 cents for each shopping size bag and 5 cents for smaller bags and reusable containers. Visit www.byobagmarin.org for more information and to get involved in your community. Lets reinforce the community ethic of stewardship and care for the common good.
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