Shopping Without Plastic Bags

We are always in need to shop for our necessities, from our daily needs to items that bring us joy. Unfortunately the more we shop, the more we consume on packaging especially those of plastic which eventually end up as waste. There is a huge number of merchants providing plastic bags generating more plastic waste, despite practicality,

Whereas, as we all know, plastic is harmful because of its material that pollute the environment and our human bodies.

The hazard of plastic bags

Plastic bags are made of polyethylene (PE), a thermoplastic material that will decompose perfectly in nature within 500-100 years. During this time, the plastic will settle in our soil or become waste in rivers, ocean, and other water bodies. It will pollute and degrade the environment by interrupting the water absorption, cause floods, and reducing soil fertility. 

Slowly, the environment will be less green and lose of its fertility. In addition, plastic bags are made from hundreds and thousands of fossil fuel, which causes the greenhouse effect. From this we can gather that plastic substance can contribute directly towards the earth’s climate change.

Occasionally, we take the short cut and burn the plastic in order to destroy it, but this is not a solution. Smoke generated from the burnt plastic can generate hazardous substance for environment, include living beings.

Knowing this, should we still use plastic bags?

Reduce use

It’s difficult to entirely change our consumption behaviour towards plastic bags, but we can start simple. An example would be not to ask for a plastic bag when purchasing one or two small items, bringing your own container for take-outs from food stalls and restaurants, bringing your own tumbler on trips, bringing your own reusable shopping bag, and many more acts that can be applied. Our awareness towards protecting the environment, earth, and the universe for future generations must motivate us to our current behaviour.

There is no shame in bringing your own bag because current reusable shopping bags are light, practical, and stylish. By bringing our own bag, we can spread our awareness towards the environment amongst the people around us such as to merchants, so that they no longer provide plastic bags, which is practiced in a few cities in Indonesia.  

Photo: doc. Unsplash.com / Brian Yurasits; Channel News Asia

Bag: Batik Losari collection