Plastics permeate our lives via many products. Often chemicals used in the making of these products have unanticipated direct, negative health impacts as well consuming a disproportionate amount of water and energy resources to manufacture. After seeking alternatives to using such products, humans should Reduce, Reuse and Recycle them.
Reducing
Bring Your Own Bag – Many grocery chains and other retailers offer inexpensive reusable bags at check out.
If fundraising motivates you, the MyEco program allows users to register on-line, shop at participating retailers with a re-useable bag – their own bag or a set purchased from MyEco – and donate a percentage of their purchase amount to the school of their choice. Belmont Schools are currently registered to receive such funds. For example, every $5 spent at Shaw’s, MyEco donates $0.02 to your selected school for using re-useable bags.
Participants can opt to purchase the set of bags the company sells, which will generate $7.50 donated to their choice school. Learn more about the program at their website: Get MyEco. Check out their FAQs for Shoppers for tips and general info.
Did you know you can recycle more than plastic shopping bags at the grocery store? These facilities are partnered with TREX and accept CLEAN and DRY dry 
cleaning bags, ziplock bags (without hard plastic closure), bread bags, newspaper bags, produce bags, packaging overwrap and air pillows. Keep them out of the waste stream by recycling them at major grocers.
Need incentive to reduce your consumption of plastic bags??
5Gyres for an overview of the global plastic problem.
The Sierra Club outlines the benefits of eliminating plastic bags from life.
The health implications of plastics: overview from the Indian Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine, including the health concerns regarding incineration. Belmont sends its trash to an incinerator in North Andover.
