With BioBags!
Over the past few months, I have commented a number of times about BioBags as an alternative to plastic bags in several diaries, and have received a fair amount of positive replies. But after reading Pale Cold's diary and seeing the video about the HUGE and distressing amounts of plastic caught in the Pacific (Plastic Oceans. Toxic-Garbage Island), I decided--with the encouragement of some fellow Kossacks--to post a diary about BioBags: a truly great product that can help us reduce plastic bag usage.
Follow me down.
While the issue of eliminating plastic shopping bags has thankfully been getting some much needed attention in the media recently, there is still lots more that can be done to reduce the use of harmful plastics in our county. While I always take my canvas or recyclable bags with me on trips to the store, I recently started using some non-plastic bags in and around the home called BioBag.
What are they:
BioBag is proud to be the best selling brand of certified 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable bags made from the material, Mater-Bi. We are also proud to be the first “bag from corn” to achieve national distribution of retail products through natural food stores across the country.
*BioBag products are certified by the Biodegradable Products Institute to meet the ASTM D6400 specification.
*BioBag products meet the new California law, SB 1749, for biodegradable and compostable product claims.
*BioBags are certified GMO Free. Furthermore, we only source corn from countries that do not allow GMO testing.
*No polyethylene is used in the production of BioBags.
*BioBags are DEN certified for restricted use of metals in our soy-based inks and dyes.
*BioBags are shelf stable, just like paper plates or paper towels. There are no chemical additives to enhance decomposition. The bags biodegrade naturally when exposed to the earth’s elements and micro-organisms in the soil.
*BioBags “breathe”, which allows heat and moisture to escape or evaporate. This feature reduces bacterial build-up of collected waste, thus reducing odor.
*BioBags will decompose in a controlled composting environment in 10-45 days, leaving no harmful residues behind.
*BioBags will decompose in a natural setting at an extended rate comparable to other naturally biodegradable materials, such as paper, leaves and food waste.
*BioBags will biodegrade in both fresh and salt water. Australian studies suggest decomposition occurs between 8-14 months. We do not support placing any material in our oceans, lakes or waterways.
We have developed an alternative to polyethylene/polypropylene based plastic bags. Our products are made primarily from cornstarch, which someday may make us a little more reliant on a farmer in the Midwest than a sultan in the Middle East. Our bags and film are certified to be 100% biodegradable and 100% compostable. Regular plastic bags take a lifetime, often over 100 years, to begin to degrade. Regular plastic cannot be composted. Less than 2% of plastic bags ever get recycled and those that are seldom ever become plastic bags again. Plastic bags litter our streets and waterways.
However, we are not at total odds with the plastic industry. We understand how this industry blossomed as an alternative solution to products made from metal and wood. Plastic was cheaper, lighter, easier to mold and rust resistant. Plastic was also durable and long-lasting. It was never meant to "go away". The plastic industry is very good at producing things that are meant to last.
Obviously, plastic bags never fit the intent of plastic usage. They are supposed to be "disposable". They don't need a life-span of more than a year, two at the most. It's sad that the plastic industry has spent more on their image than on the problem. Plastic bags remain inexpensive only because the manufacturer's responsibility ends at point of purchase. The rest of the tab is picked up by you and me in our tax base.
Some plastic manufacturers are now producing blends of polyethylene and additives that help the bags break down a little faster, but the process leaves pieces of plastic debris that are not biodegradable to definition and do not compost. In our view, the claim of biodegradability offered by these products is misleading to many consumers and a weak attempt to find compromise with nature.
We believe there is no compromise. We believe we have found the answer. With your support, we can achieve our mission of being the product of choice for waste disposal. We can change the world, without changing the earth.
BioBags retail from between $5 and $9, depending on where you shop. I can fully endorse these products, as my girlfriend and I have been using them for a few months now. While cornstarch is not as durable as plastic bags, they still hold up. The food storage/waste bags are particularly cool because they keep veggies & herbs fresh longer in the refrigerator by allowing moisture to escape from the bag (things survive about 3-5 days longer than before). See how they stack up compared to conventional bags and other "biodegradable" bags here: The Truth About Biodegradable Bags.
So why aren't you rushing to get some BioBags right now?! These offer a great way to get plastic out of our landfills, the ocean, and off our streets, while simultaneously reducing our use of petroleum. This is an easy and inexepensive way to help the planet. It's a win-win situation and would have a great impact if every Kossack would switch to using BioBags.
Where to buy them:
If you live in San Francisco, then locating BioBags should not pose a challenge:
Recently, the city of San Francisco selected BioBag to promote their residential food waste collection program. The city is sending 100,000 rolls of BioBags to residents within the county to help educate consumers on the importance of diverting food and other biodegradable waste from entering landfills. San Francisco residents can now purchase additional supplies at over 100 outlets in the bay area. BioBag is proud to be a partner in this important effort.
The following chains in the San Francisco area carry them: Albertson’s, Cala/Bell’s, Cole Hardware, Rainbow Market, Real Foods, Whole Foods, or Walgreen’s Drug stores.
The rest of us don't have it so easy.
Be the ultimate do-gooder and help support a number of good causes while also reducing your reliance on plastic bags. Order from my girlfriend, who recently put her neck on the line (and her good credit record) by opening a green pet supply webstore, The Leash We Can Do! (free delivery for Chicagoans). She carries a variety of BioBag products that aren't just for pets. In addition, The Leash We Can Do! donates 10% of its proceeds to other good causes, which means you'll be helping out a small business that only sells products made by other small businesses, and donating to another great cause--cleaning up toxic chemicals in our lives! How great is that!
BioBags also has a list of other retailers that can be located on their website.