Have you remembered to BYOB in 2010?This is a query every person must ask himself or herself.  We are flying through 2010 and there has in no way been a more crucial period of time to bring your own biodegradable and reusable bags. When you BYOB, rather than using single-use plastic or paper disposable bags, you instantaneously become a piece of the solution to the massive urban litter problem linked with disposable shopping bag waste.  As of July 1, 2010, it is estimated that over 240 billion plastic bags have been consumed in 2010 alone.  What ís even more alarming is the effect that plastic and paper single-use bags are continuing to have on the natural environment.   The purpose of this article is to examine the latest news regarding large-scale efforts to cut down on the use of plastic and paper disposable bags along with the related waste, and talk about what alternatives are available to all of us individual consumers in order to make certain we are a part of the resolution to this problem.  

The good news is that BYOB momentum is increasing quickly in 2010.  If you havenít noticed yet, the California legislature has proposed a bill; AB 1998 (to be voted on by the Senate in August), which would prohibit disposable bags sold within supermarkets, drugstores, convenience, and liquor stores and take full effect by 2013.  Even ìThe Governatorî, Arnold Schwarzenegger, said that he would put his signature on the bill if it makes it to his desk.   This would be a huge win for all friends of the natural environment to have the most populated state, inside the third biggest country on the planet, to put in place a ban on throw-away plastic bags. Taking into consideration that China already cracked down on plastic bags in 2008 and Ireland lawmaking efforts to lower plastic bag consumption began in 2002, it is so wonderful to be informed that California lawmakers have brought this bill to the table.  

In the USA, metropolitan areas from San Francisco to Los Angeles to Washington DC have approved or enacted laws that either tax patrons for the utilization of plastic bags or prohibit them overall, but California would be the first American state to take action if this legislation were to be approved.  More exciting news, even legislators from the state of Texas have created legislation that would affix a 7-cent tax for each single-use bag used.   It is so amazing that there is a chance that both Texas and/or California may possibly soon have policies in place to combat the plastic bag pandemic.  Actions by persons and governments to reduce large-scale use of throw-away grocery bags is a wonderful way to motivate people and spread the word regarding the positive benefits of environmentally friendly reusable shopping bags.

Plastic grocery bags will take up to a thousand years to biodegrade totally, and prior to that it just decomposes down in to smaller and smaller poisonous pieces that find their way inside our food, water, and soil. Biodegradable green reusable bags, are a wonderful option, once thrown away in landfill sites, the subjection to sunlight, oxygen, and heat will convert these bags into liquid, carbon dioxide, mineral salt and biomass.  Similar to a fallen leaf, it will vanish in time and leave NO Harmful Residue in the soil.  Plastic bags wind up in our landfills as well as often get tangled and trigger permanent damage in trash management machinery.   Tens of millions if not billions of other bags end up as urban litter and frequently find their way in to creeks, lakes, streams, as well as the sea.  Creatures, especially marine animals, get entwined in plastic grocery bags, and/or ingest them and regularly asphyxiate or starve to death.  

So the solution brings us back to BYOB, which is rediculously easy.  Just remember to utilize environmentally friendly reusable grocery bags or recycled grocery bags, or reuse an older bag, period.  Be sure to keep extra reusable bags inside your car or within your backpack, as you will want to ensure that they are nearby when you need them.  Also remember to disinfect your bags after use, in particular after transporting uncooked foods and cleaning supplies.  You should also offer them to your family as a reminder to BYOB.  Of course, always remember to recycle when the occasion presents itself, recycling is always a win-win situation for the environment.  Adopting a BYOB habit in our individual lifestyles and organizations is certainly the greatest way to ensure we are truly part of the resolution rather than the problem.  Now is the time to go out and lead by example.