There was a time when the advent of convenience foods changed
our lives. We said to ourselves: it’s in the bag! Quick and easy, we saved
time. Time has passed and interest has waned: all that plastic littering our
forests, lakes, and rivers—not to mention our oceans—is no longer appealing.
Over-wrapping and waste is forcing us to reflect on the usefulness of this
poisoned gift for the well-being of the world in which we live.
At the grocery store, we buy packaged
products of all shapes and sizes, which we then place in bags, often made of
plastic. When we get home, we bake muffins, cakes, soups, chilis and stews,
etc., which we once again put into single-use plastic bags.
Once it’s been used, the unfortunate
bag and its plastic wrap comrade will go on an organized trip to an enchanting
landfill site, or perhaps they will get lost along the way and live a new life,
much longer than the two or three weeks spent in the fridge or freezer. The plastic bag has a long life expectancy:
between 500 and 1000 years! Alone or among all the members of its species,
the bag needs all that time to decompose. They can take comfort in the fact
that, according to the UN, nearly 5,000 billion plastic bags are consumed
worldwide every year. 5,000,000,000,000. That’s a lot of zeros for products
that are as useless as they are polluting.
It should not be assumed that they
are without danger for our health and for the environment. Quite the contrary.
It is worth noting that they are made from petroleum, a non-renewable resource.
These bags are a source of pollution before they even reach our store shelves.
The petroleum must first be extracted and then converted, resulting in the
release of carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. Their manufacturing,
processing, and ultimately their destruction exposes workers to these highly
toxic products.
To ease their conscience, thinking
they are contributing to the environment, people have gotten into the habit of
washing these single-use bags. Unfortunately, it’s not a good idea since these
products were not designed for this and are likely to contaminate our food.
And yet, there is an ecological and sustainable alternative that is good for our health and that of the planet. Such a simple and easy solution: reusable and ecological bags.
In just a few days, it will be
back-to-school time and a slew of well-stocked lunch boxes. Preparing family
lunches has never been so exciting. Zero waste, zero stress. Our
multipurpose reusable bags
are as practical for food as they are for school supplies. Our bags with
straps are perfect for carrying running shoes and gym clothes or
wet bathing suits, sandals, and towels.
Recycling, using reusable products,
and composting are just a few habits that will have an enormous impact on the
quality of our environment. No matter how small, every effort counts and it’s a
win-win situation.
At Demain Demain, we realize that it’s all about the reusable bag and its by-products made entirely in Quebec.
We want to leave future generations
with a healthy and sustainable environment. So, let’s not just be responsible.
Let’s be eco-responsible and give our planet a fighting chance.