- 180 million plastic bags used annually in San Francisco prior to the plastic bag ban
- 775,000 gallons of oil are needed to produce 180 million plastic bags
- Worldwide, about 4 trillion – 5 trillion plastic bags are used each year
I live about an hour from the San Francisco Chinatown, and once in a while, I get brave and go out for an adventure there. I love all the different and cheap food they have. The crowds and traffic can be a little overwhelming, but all in all, it’s something I like to do once in a while.
I visited Chinatown a couple weeks ago, and I was shocked to see they were getting into the green act too. Last March, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors voted to ban the use of plastic bags at chain pharmacies and large supermarkets. This legislation was the first of its kind. San Francisco Chinatown, known for cutthroat prices and perhaps some corner cutting, seemed to get into the act as well. I’m sure most of the shops I went into were exempt from the ban, but it was refreshing to see even Chinatown was getting into the act. Some of the merchants I went to were no longer using plastics bags.
I felt so good seeing that, I may just visit a bit more often. More spending from consumers like me is better for business. If you’re not sure if these little acts of green are making a difference, check out the following statistics and judge for yourself:
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