Naturally, this is cause for concern and confusion.

Arent reusable totes supposed to bebetterfor the environment than plastic?

Yes, and they still are; even in context, that 20,000 reuse number is misleading.

(You canread the study in full hereif youd like.)

Lets break it down.

Where does the 20,000 figure come from?

If you want to understand that 20,000 number, it helps to know a little terminology.

For reference, primary reuse means using the bag for its intended purpose, which is carrying groceries.

The 20,000 reuses figure isrelative.

It means that one organic cotton tote has the same environmental impact as 20,000 plastic bags.

Halve that and youre already down to 10,000 reuses.

Second, this study looked at 14 impact categories, one of which is ozone depletion.

This number is right next to the bigger, scarier one in every single table.

Finally, and most importantly,litter is not one of the environmental impact categories.

The authors considered the environmental impact of LDPE bag litter negligible, so they didnt include it.

The raw materials must then be refined, which requires yet more energy.

These tiny granules of polyethylene resin can be mixed with recycled polyethylene chips.

The film is flattened, then cut into pieces.

Next, it is sent to manufacturers to be made into bags.

The plastic bags are then packaged and transported around the world to vendors.

But whether recycling rates are 5% or 9%, the overall picture isbad.

What can you do to help?

hey dont give up and throw away your reusable totestheyre so much better than single-use plasticor evenpaperbags.

Bring them with you to the store, every time.

Getting them for free.

Taking a few bags off someones hands gives them a second life and keeps them out of the landfill.

But its much better to find a textile recycling service in your area.

Theyre not super common, so you may have to drop off your contributions at a fabric store.

This is still better than chucking them in the trash.

Finally, remember to use your brain whenever you read media coverage about fossil fuel industries.

Decreasing your individual reliance on fossil fuels is good, and the oil and gas companies know it.

Dont let them convince you its about anything else.