Switch to Sustainable Living

Just four days away, Nov. 15 marks a holiday near and dear to our mission, National America Recycles Day. Although we much prefer to reduce or reuse our waste, our third goal of recycling is much better than nothing! It is said that single-use plastics, such as plastic water bottles and plastic bags that people take home from the grocery, are hardly ever recycled. In fact, only 10% of these items are recycled. 10%! Imagine the amount that is going straight to our landfills, filling them up quite quickly and taking centuries to break down. Read more about this in an article from The Green Economy Post, Facing the Dirty Truth About Recyclable Plastics.

Portland is one of the very few places in America that has taken the initiative to ban plastic bags at all grocery stores. (Yay Portland!) But what about those rolls of tear-off plastic bags near all produce sections. They are stamped with a green recycle sign but how many actually get recycled? Unfortunately, I couldn't find this answer but it mostly likely is similar to the 10% number above. Shocking, isn't it! And we are all guilty of separating our fresh veggies in these bags when we don't want them rolling around it the cart.

In the spirit of America Recycles Day, I went out searching for an alternative sustainable option. And it was easy to find.

Fred Meyer carries reusable mesh bags perfect for your veggies. I picked up a pack for $1.99 for three bags. Two bucks! And you are set. Just throw them in your reusable cloth tote that you normally take to the grocery store and you'll be sure to never forget them.

This Thursday, celebrate America Recycles Day with Trash for Peace by making eco-friendly choices. Then share it with us! We would love to feature you and share any and all switches to sustainable living. Check out more ideas at AmericaRecyclesDay.org.