Helpful Info

Human history becomes more and more a race between education and catastrophe.

H. G. Wells, Outline of History (1920)

Consider the Impact You Can Make

HELPFUL INFORMATION

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THE TRUTH ABOUT THROW-AWAY PLASTIC BAGS...

	They are a nonrenewable petroleum based product that can take up to ONE THOUSAND YEARS to decompose.
	The average person's plastic bag legacy has been estimated at 4.175 MILLION YEARS.
	It has been estimated that the petroleum used to make 18 plastic bags could drive a car for 1 MILE.
	The average time a person actually uses a plastic bag is 10 MINUTES.
	The EPA estimates that the United States uses 380 BILLION bags each year and that 430,000 GALLONS of oil are needed to produce only 100 MILLION plastic bags. This translates to 1.6 BILLION GALLONS of oil being used for plastic bags each YEAR.
	The bags do not biodegrade, but photodegrade, which means that light causes them to break down into toxic particles and to release toxic fumes. In waterways (where they usually end up), the particles are consumed by fish that can end up on your plate.
	The cost of recycling plastic bags is so much greater than their value that most recycling centers will not take them. Only about 1PERCENT of the 380 BILLION plastic bags we use each year are recycled.
	Manufacturing plastic bags is a high impact process contributing to carbon emissions.

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WHAT IS MY CARBON FOOTPRINT?

Your carbon footprint is the amount of carbon dioxide produced by your daily activities and use of material goods. Carbon dioxide contributes to the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere where they build up and affect the temperature of the earth and create climate change

10 EASY WAYS TO REDUCE YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT:

	Turn the water off while brushing your teeth. Only 3 PERCENT of water on Earth is fresh water, most of which is trapped in glaciers. At least ONE BILLION people have no access whatsoever to clean water.
	Walk or bike instead of driving. You'll save money on gas and parking while improving your health.
	Get out of old habits & reduce unnecessary waste and consumption. Think twice next time you go to grab a 2 inch stack of napkins at a fast food restaurant to later toss them in the waste basket (since you really only needed one).
	Replace traditional light bulbs with compact fluorescent bulbs. If every household in the U.S. switched one incandescent bulb to a fluorescent bulbs we would save on the greenhouse gas emissions equivalent of taking 1 MILLION cars off off the road.
	Ban throw-away water bottles. Bottled water is expensive and produces a huge amount of plastic waste. Instead, buy a refillable water container to reuse.
	Pay your bills and handle your banking online. Not only will you save tons of paper, but paying bills and banking online is faster and more convenient.
	Reduce consumption of beef. Livestock have been estimated to account for a staggering 18 PERCENT of greenhouse gasses; more than the transportation industry! You'll cut emissions and improve your health by cutting down on red meat.
	Plant a tree. Trees absorb carbon dioxide (the culprit in climate change) and turn it into oxygen for us to breathe. The fewer the trees we have, the less help we have in reducing greenhouse gasses.
	Recycle, recycle, recycle. Not only does recycling keep valuable material out of landfills, but it also prevents hazardous chemicals like lead and mercury from ending up in landfills and contaminating our soil and water.
	Use reusable grocery bags. The plastic throw-away bags given in grocery stores are detrimental to our planet, our health and the safety of animals.

AROUND THE WORLD...During the past several years there has been a growing concern about one-time-use plastic bags across the globe due to their dangerous impact on the environment. Governments all over the world have passed laws to ban plastic, while others have begun taxing their use as a deterrent. SOME SUCH GOVERNMENTS INCLUDE...



	CHINA..........SAN FRANCISCO..........ENGLAND..........CANADA...........BHUTAN.........

	............AUSTRALIA.............TAIWAN...............FRANCE.............BANGLADESH...........

	IRELAND.............ISRAEL................ZANZIBAR...............IRELAND............MAUI...........

	...........GERMANY...........SOUTH AFRICA...........ITALY...........INDIA...........RWANDA.