The Dangers of Plastic Bags

[TheAnnafisher]

I like Whole Foods Bags made from recycled water bottles for groceries

[artcalight13]

Instead of buying a cloth bag, you can make one yourself. 

[GloryAtWill]

Plastic bags are ONE PART of the problem we have on our hands today.. we need to reach the root cause of our problems if we want to make any real change which to me is a lot like realizing that our cities today are obsolete and therefore we need to start implementing the suppressed technology into NEW CITIES.. We are so lucky that Jacque Fresco realized this long ago and committed his life to do exactly that.. so check out The Venus Project if you have a half a brain.. JUST DO IT!

[SmartAndSafe]

Smart&Safe headphone conduct the sound from cell phone conversations and music through a hollow tube filled with air, without metal wires. This is scientifically proven to reduce the electromagnetic radiation reaching the user’s sensitive ear and brain area by up to 98%. These headphones are ultra stylish and are available in several colors. A video can be seen on my profile.

[ahamatmabrahman]

One thing that bothered me a lot when I was In India was that the cows eat plastic bags eg a tourist puts a banana skin in a plastic bag and puts it in a bin then the cow eats the lot I pulled 4 plastic bags out of a calfs mouth one day , they were all joined together like a rope , There is no reason to use plastic at all , everything made of plastic can be made from hemp. No words to describe the crime of plastic except genocide

[ilovefeelincheap]

This makes me never want to use plastic bags again. Tomorrow im gonna go buy the reusable cloth bags!!!

[liagog]

i have been an urban backpacker for about 30 years now. i lived in a large city and if i needed a plastic bag for someone to carry something from my place, i usually had to hunt for one......and then,at my local BIG STORE, there appeared a RECYCLING BIN for the plastic bags.now i could use plastic bags because THEY WERE RECYCLABLE !!!!!! within 2 months i had 2 "bags-of-bags ...where before i had to hunt for 1..i went back to NOT USING- not recycling

i personally see Recycing as the LAST R

[q8gogreen]

hi can i please use ur video in my blog?

[mercola]

@q8gogreen You can use ANYONE"s video on your blog as long as you don't change it. That is completely within copyright allowances. However, you can't edit it and repost to YouTube otherwise You Tube will ban you.

[q8gogreen]

@mercola oh no lol never i want to add it and even post your name n_n thnx alot

[Sonyoooo3]

Theory:Glass jar is the only thing i think that may survive the future in store aswell as drinking bottle so the solution for clean world is to have a restaurant that are not expencive so all can eat there so this i think can also reduce the plastic can garbage but people need extra food that can last long like in a cans so can a thermo-bottle be the solution because at the same time it can be washed who ever had the thermo-bottle?

[ThePOKOkitty]

SAVE THE WHALES!

[tors396]

Wow I feel terrible right now. Im gonna get something else instead of my plastic garbage bags. Thats the only plastic I don´t recycle.

But I always have a cloth bag when I buy groceries, or take papper bags.

I could totally go for a law against plastic bags, so lets ban plastic bags in Sweden as well

( the turtle in 4.03 made me cry (t-t) )

[tors396]

Wow, I feel terrible right now (which I guess is the point of this video), not that I throw plastic bags, I recycle everything. Except my garbagebags which is plastic, I´m gonna start using something else for that. Grocery bags are clothbags :)

I say make a ban in Sweden as well, I would totaly vote for that.

[unmedication]

I have 2 plastic bags for food shopping. The same plastic bags. Since 3 months now. When the crack I bring them back to the shop and they renew it... I can say that i have never throw a plastic bag away in my last 20 years... What happened to the classic shopping paper bag I used to see in all those US movies ?

[skeletonmom]

Ditching the plastic bags & getting a big woven market basket & reclaimed "artsy" tote bags helped keep the clutter down-sometimes I would get so inundated with all sorts of bags when tidying up the house-no more! I opt for pretty designs, strong bags (design & function-ugly bags I found were being forgotten about when I tekked to the market). Keep one in the car, purse, garage, kitchen, etc. So now I take them with me everywhere, use them and get comments of how neato they look.

[recyclecongress]

I will have to admit though, that even though I am "Anti-Green"- the pictures of those entangled animals were VERY sad! I just don't think we should ban EVERYTHING that is considered a "threat" to the Dirt People. Maybe instead of the ridiculous spending in Congress, they could start a campaign that REALLY mattered- and gave $ incentives to all that recycle these bags.

[preetygirl96]

this is a sad video

[formaset]

Guess what country will the the LAST country to adopt this procedure? You guessed it right! THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA!

[formaset]

Yeah... I guess there is no remedy... The way i see it, we are screwed. Nobody wants to do anything about it. it is just BS talk and no action. It is a good thing that the Earth itself can self repair and recycle all after a asteroid crashes into the planet wiping out the human race. End of the problem. Earth will need less than 3000 years to erase all our mess.

[mellio8]

wow.

awesome video.

must have took forever to make huh?

props to you. im guna show this for my history day project.

[camiller3754]

..it is sad, i just looked out my apartment window and there is a yellow plastic bag stuck up high in a tree right outside my window :s

[camiller3754]

Nice video, thank you. Because of you I will start using the cloth bag I got and stored away in my cupboard.

[Lithys]

Don't forget teflon cookware causes male sterility.

[streetfightermatt]

Get a water filter put in at home, the replacement only costs $100 australian every year

[catkin3]

I use the same large shopping carriers in supermarkets. They 're very strong. I have had them for 3 years now and it's really nice not having masses of horrible bags to dispose of after unpacking. I keep 5/6 in mine and my partners car so are always there when you decide to shop. Much more practical and convenient.

[stephanierajendra]

This is really a great video. Thanks. I'm going to stop my using plastic and will encourage others.

[craftne]

not just plastic bags: straws, cups, lids, toothbrushes, bottles, lighters, packaging....take your own cup to get coffee, soft drinks. Take container to restaurants for leftovers. Stop using plastic utensils and plates. All the plastic that was with us is still with us.

[peachchive13]

Great video. I am going to use it when I meet with our Town Council requesting a ban on plastic bags.

[peachchive13]

Cut back??? Stop using them all together! There are many options available, just take cloth bags with you in your vehicle wherever you go. Head out of the sand folks, it is time to stand up for something important.

[fuzir]

agreed!

its about time that we look into these matter than most of think..less of their concern..

go green!!

fuzir/malaysia

[farkbang]

facts etc. are good, but for crying out loud - speed up up by 50% and get rid of that dreadful whining background music. Save electricity - run it in half the time!

[StoryeTime]

I use a cloth bag; it's in my purse, always

[Icebarrage]

Recently when I've visited a grocery store, I've made sure I save my plastic bags for recycling at a later date, with this rationale in mind. I'd like to know what the author of this video thinks about what I just wrote (Why my theory is wrong, basically.)

Just my take on the whole situation.

[Icebarrage]

Also, the grocery stores where I live have plastic bag recycling receptacles and donate park benches made from recycled plastic to various parks and other areas in our community. So, rather than cutting down forests (which absorb carbon dioxide) we're using recycled plastic bags to make the bench, which are made from oil, which would otherwise be burned into a greenhouse gas. Of course, this only applies if recycling really happens.

[Icebarrage]

I agree highly that pollution is a huge problem. However, it seems to me that it may be beneficial for people to use plastic bags who have the intent to recycle them. Instead of being made into gasoline which will be burned and released into our atmosphere, the oil is made into plastic bags. That prevents more shit from entering our atmosphere and therefore global warming.

[SuperGLaDOS]

I'm going to use less of these things, and use different ways to store items.

[Chin9y8302]

Well I work for Costco and we don't use bags any more. More cardboard than anything else.

[AzuraTheHedgehog1]

im starting using the 3 r`s now bot

[BondiBJ]

I'm so amazed that U R not mentioning that grocery stores can use the recyclable plastic! We do not have to use bad plastic, we can have our grocery stores buy the recycle plastic bags & that solves that HUGE problem! Why aren't we discussing this??? We all should stay away from grocery stores that do not use them!!! Lets get on the badwagon for those who do not make the effort...

[darkpunisher2500]

this is a good video thanks mate i will cut my use of plastic bags too

[prisandalex123]

this video is great i started to use cloth bags hooray for cloth!!!!!!!!!!!! boooooooooo!!!!!!!!! plastic!!!!!!!

[heymarlarae]

thank you

[avatarkurse13]

Love the song and the video!!! Thankfully, we don't use plastic bags at any of the stores we shop at. :) I hear they're going to start charging for them in my area. It's a good way to create another incentive for people not to use plastic or paper bags (besides the incentives that include the prevention of environmental and health hazards). :)

[koolbossjock]

At the store they always ask me Paper or plastic,I always ask for paper no matter how little items i have.Plastic is poisen.Oh and so are Guitar picks.

[theserpic]

fine!

[koolbossjock]

I ALWAYS use paper no matter how little i have to carry.

[thinkrevolution]

I will cut back on my use of plastic bags.

[thinkrevolution]

very good video

[jamiekrista]

Oh, Thank you so much for this information. I'm teary eyed, I am through with plastic bags now!! I am putting the cloth bags in my car right away. Thank you!!

[Valdorsha]

This is a wonderful video. Definitely something that everyone can participate in and get behind.

Does anyone know who the music artist or what the name of the song is?

[shaunadams]

It amazes me how far we humans have strayed that we are unable to see the truth which is staring in our face. All these messages & activism for the environment is a waste, in fact counter productive as it gives us a false sense that we are doing something. Where as all we do is not even a Band-Aid on a patient suffering from cancer. ITS OUR BLIND GREED & OUR LOVE OF HEDONISM THAT HAS BROUGHT US HERE. Unless we address these fundamentals first we cannot turn the tide.

[BondiBJ]

OPRAH I'm so amazed that U R not mentioning that grocery stores can use the recyclable plastic! We do not have to use bad plastic, we can have our grocery stores buy the recycle plastic bags & that solves that HUGE problem! Why aren't we discussing this??? We all should stay away from grocery stores that do not use them!!! Lets get on the badwagon for those who do not make the effort...

[lionhasalreadybe]

Excellent, you are quite right.

[shaunadams]

It amazes me how far we humans have strayed that we are unable to see the truth which is staring in our face. All these messages & activism for the environment is a waste, in fact counter productive as it gives us a false sense that we are doing something. Where as all we do is not even a Band-Aid on a patient suffering from cancer. ITS OUR BLIND GREED & OUR LOVE OF HEDONISM THAT HAS BROUGHT US HERE. Unless we address these fundamentals first we cannot turn the tide.

[viviana37]

This video has made me think about why its important to recycle. I will use the cloth bags for now on!  I will pursuade my family and friends to do so!

[MrDuffy81]

Is this ALL plastic bags?

I mean, what about garbage bags, and what are people gonna put their weed in;foil?

[odin422]

a great thing EVERYONE can do

[PennyRoyaleTea]

I woke up after having an amazing dream, & I found it extremely odd that this song shot into mind. Seeing as how I only heard it once before today, & that felt like week ago.

Anyways, it's funny that I didn't think much of it before, and now i want to download it.

All because it invited itself into my head without permission. Ah the power of music ;)

[givebirthathome]

Its good that Dr. Mercola realizes that we can't have personal health without environmental health. Herbs and exercise would reduce impacts from chemical medicines and tests, too.

[ThatNickGuy28]

This is why I've been relying more and more on cloth bags. I heard about the fact regarding 1 trillion bags being consumed annual, but never about things like the Eastern Garbage Patch. That's just sick.

I really wish the world would wake up and start taking care of our planet more.

[freestyle47]

great video. I will no longer use plastic bags after watching this.

[raiders1967]

Extremely informative video.

Thanks so much for posting this video.

[wolfen26]

I use a backpack for most of my grocery shopping. It was one that I bought for $3. Best money I have ever spent. I am getting rid of my plastic bags by donating them to Goodwill. They take both paper and plastic. I know it is not good recycling, because I knowthat others are not as contiencious, but it is better than a landfill. Need a reusable bag? Go to a garage sale! That is what I did! Or support corporations like Whole Foods and Aldi's. They have reuseable bags for a buck.

[sarinax8]

wow, I never really thought that bags were made from oil, thanks for this information. it makes me really think though....why is America so greedy? why do we do things last and always last? what the hell are we doing to our planet!

[fox20012]

You don't know how much i HATE big corporations. I want to make a MASSIVE CORPORATION that sells healthy and safe products for the cost of only the production and employee wage, and not big profits just enough help globalization of my company!! called "Free The People Corp." . Or something like that.

[suchandradasi]

We use recycled resuable bags now! It's about time!  Europe is already ahead of America. If you want a plastic bag there (most people bring their own bags) then you have to pay for them!

[piperlady56]

Thank you for this excellent and informative video.

[Nuse17]

Great video! Until watching this, I was not aware of the extent of how much damage plastic bags can cause to our Earth.

I look forward to the nationwide ban scheduled for 2010, and in the meantime, I'm going to go buy myself an organic tote.

[moneymagnetelizabeth]

Plastic should be banned. No plastic cups, utensils, bags . . .

[Wishes6336]

:-? how far do you think we should go with the banning... plastic as a whole has very beneficial uses.

[omoshiroii]

at least for plastic bag, they have long created post-consumer recycled plastic bag and biodigradable "plastic" bag.

It is not the question " How far can the plastic ban go" but " How far can you go and do without plastic to support our planet home"

I rarely use plastic bag now, never buy plastic bottled beverage, strictly minimising buying produce that use plastic wrappings or parts etc

And that feels great n rewarding for me.

Let us be part of the solution

[stegal]

As i did, buy 1 backpack, put in it 1 plastic bag to protect it if some grocery package breaks during transportation and reuse it FOREVER saving a lot of money and the environment.

By the way, the backpack is perfect if you go to the grocery store by bicycle, then sell you car, save even more money (MUCH money) and get in shape for free, i did it and i'm very happy now :)

[buzjaz]

I'm with you 100%, backpack and car. I got rid of my car 5 years ago and am quite happy I did. It's not as hard as many think and it saves a ton of money. But back to plastic, the bags are just a start. We need to look at everything we buy and try to eliminate as much as possible.

[BlueEagle8]

Wonderful video. SF has banned plastic bags in supermarkets. I am now working to eliminate all plastic waste from my life. Glass is the way to go back to the future.

[JezebelDecibel]

I use a stylish 2 wheel shopping cart :) it's great and it fits a whole weeks shopping in it easy. I put a soft cloth bag or 2 inside it for little loose thing. Now I save on bags and transport as well as keep fit :)

[PollenB]

Another reason for lifting of the stupid....no, criminal ban, on the growing of Hemp! We are pretty good here already but more needs to be done! The major stores enforce the "tax", the smaller ones don't. Thanks for the share madz!!

[Cur417]

I will do my part. Each one of us can make a difference.

Now if retailers could sell some kind of paper bag to put our trash in ~ that would be helpful.

[Wishes6336]

i was thinking the same thing. they do sell paper trash bags... the big ones that are used for leaves and sticks... ive seen...

[deadlynova965]

Every time I see a bag lying around. I will recycle it instead of leaving it out. I will start shopping with bags made out of cloth. I hope the entire world bans plastic bags.

[madzndean]

Arr those poor animals,I have to stop it there or I'll well up, school taught me one good thing, when you drink beer chop the plastic can holders up cos they get caught on animals and can hurt them...they are after all helpless and inocent!

[britishbornchinese]

This made me cry...who do we think we are to ignorantly pollute the wildlife and the environment? I will now always carry a spare folded up bag for when I need to go shopping. Thank you for this very important message Mercola...MERCOLA FOR PRESIDENT!!

[SuaRezzz]

time for change!

great video

[zizizzi]

Excellent Video 5***** and shared.

[SlaveStorm]

I keep some reusable bags by the door for when I go shopping as well I have a couple in the car If I forget them I just put it all into the car without bags

We don't buy much at the store anyways. Grow your own. It tastes better, is healthier and is good for the mind as well

Most people slave at a job all their lives just so they can retire and play in the garden. Why wait? Quit the job and become a gardener

Earth, a nice place to live if you're happy being a mindless consumer, borrow to buy

[davidnightingale]

I still have real shopping bags, the ones people used to use before the world domination of plastic. When people were able to plan their shopping activities.

[davidnightingale]

Like most things convienient they are often turn out not to be. Perhaps we should encourage thinking as opposed to programmed education.

[knutervalve64]

great idea ..however pretty much everything these days is made from plastic and the lightweight more durable plastic-bag is very convienent .. and just as the bottle law went into a deposit return so should bags

but so long as humans exist, the earth shall surely suffer the consequences

[marianneglinda]

5***** and shared

[katalina2007]

Sad reality :(

[thrivesurvive]

Beautifully presented!!!

[mint25MD]

Very informative video. Hope you make more like this!!

[rosehipsforu]

I'm on it.

[mepwnu]

Most interesting video you've ever posted :D Makes me at least consider stopping ;p

[newbirth35]

I either recycle the plastic bags I have, or use them as garbage can liners in the bathroom (reuse). Sometimes I take my own canvas bags to the market (reduce), but a lot of times I forget to bring them.

[misseptember]

Outrageous! Conscious living thats what it's all about. Let's make this world, our only home, a better place to live.

[trsracing35]

Wow, I will alays ask for paper from now on!

[strike3022]

very nice and informative. I'll do what I can and together we can all make a difference.

[lukeev]

Companies externalise their costs by dumping bags rather than having to dispose of them cleanly (& expensively) themselves. This is because government owns most of the ('public') land, in some cases even disposing plastic bags (for 'free') via taxes! If companies had to do this themselves, cleanly, or pay others for clean disposal, this would make plastic bags FAR less attractive (i.e more expensive). Recycling, research/alternatives etc, all become much more attractive. See:

watch?v=DrTsaSUFfpo

[iHealthTube]

A lot of people are using their canvas bags when grocery shopping, but it's important to remember to use your canvas bags at any retail store you go to, not just for your groceries.

[blackcat2enterprises]

I already switched. I have all cloth bags now for my shopping. Any kind of shopping. I bring them with me everywhere. One day they may have groceries in them, or books, or record albums or who knows. LOL.

They are also great to have around for bringing things on trips/walks like bottled water, toys etc. =)

- Heidi

[bluepastel]

Excellent!

[lukeev]

One reason it costs more to say, recycle a plastic bag, than to use/develop new eco-friendly materials, is because companies are able to externalise costs. If governments stopped, for example, providing "free" landfill/disposal for the "social good", companies would have to dispose of them (i.e private landfills etc) & have to pay & factor in such costs into the price. Today, companies don't have to, as governments steal tax payers money to pay it all for them. Government is THE largest polluter

[ewops]

We certainly have to start somewhere. This is something I've been meaning to do but haven't gotten innovative enough. However that is an excuse and I'll start this as of now.

[Jaminator12]

Good video, raise the awareness! thanx mercola