Of all the states hurt by plastic bag pollution in local seas, Rhode Island may feel the most pain. For this reason, state officials are sponsoring a bill that would ban plastic bags at checkout counters throughout the Ocean State. While there are communities in Rhode Island that have already banned plastic bags, this legislation would make them disappear from all checkout counters in the state. In an area that is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and has 30 islands off its coast and the...

Less than a year after failing in an attempt to ban plastic bags in Chicago, City Council members have the votes to deliver an even stronger law to address plastic bag waste in the Second City. Alderman Joe Moreno told reporters he has the votes to make a full plastic bag ban become law regardless of whether Chicago’s mayor signs the bill. Once it passes, Chicago shoppers will bring eco-friendly reusable tote bags to the store during shopping trips, saving millions of plastic bags a day. Like...

A recent New York Times article offered a forum for both sides to present their case on banning plastic bags throughout the state of California. State Senator Alex Padilla has introduced a bill that would phase single-use plastic bags out of the state for good, but the usual pushback from special interest groups is certain to make the issue a volatile one. The 100 communities in California already relying on wholesale shopping bags for carrying groceries have plenty of evidence to offer in...

Modern businesses always hope to combine customer needs, ethical practices and good publicity in the same package. That’s a tall order, but green company initiatives are probably the easiest way to make it happen. Customers love supporting a company that respects the environment and community. Before you plan your next marketing campaign, consider what promotional reusable shopping bags can do for your business. Promotional bags get out any message your company wants to communicate. Whether...

Since New York City is getting a weekly dose of snow this winter, the look on the streets is decidedly white. However, a hint of greener things to come is popping up in the City Council with a bill that place fees on plastic bags returns. Though you can find stores with wholesale reusable shopping bags at most counters in New York, a statewide bill making it mandatory to charge for single-use bags would force big changes in the Big Apple. As it stands, New York wastes plastic bags on a scale...

Advocates for the environment have always looked for ways to show conservation as the epitome of common sense. If we help foster a healthy ecosystem, doesn’t everyone benefit? The answer may be clear, but business owners are only starting to realize how going green is a money maker in terms of operation savings and branding in today’s marketplace. From reusable shopping bags to retrofitting HVAC systems, a green company mission is the profitable way to go. Indeed, everyone wins when...

They say the plastic bag is our modern-day tumbleweed. No matter where you go in your daily travels, you’ll find plastic bags zipping by you, getting stuck under your feet or clogging the gutter. The widespread littering and pollution you see has prompted many communities to ban plastic bags. Are wholesale tote bags the answer to this problem? Though you can’t say replacing single-use bags with reusable bags at checkout counters will eliminate pollution, it would undoubtedly make a...

With plastic bags already banned in Austin and eight other cities in Texas, the larger cities in the state are looking into ways to reduce a growing pile of plastic waste. On January 15, 2014 the Dallas City Council debated ways to address the problem. In March, the council will take a vote on a detailed proposal. Store owners who want to get the jump on a potential plastic bag ban are already thinking about designing wholesale reusable bags for their stores. When a city finally agrees to put...

It’s barely weeks into 2014, but Virginia’s state assembly already has a bill that would allow districts in the northern part of the commonwealth to impose a tax on disposable (i.e. single-use) bags as long as they notify the tax agency about the plan. If this bill became law, it would create a situation similar to Washington, D.C., where a tax is in place to encourage the adoption of reusable shopping bags. Local environmental groups celebrated the dramatic decline in use of plastic bags...

Due to the complications of U.S. politics, no plastic bag ban has been able to cover every county within a state, that is, until now. Hawaii has passed legislation that brings all four of the state’s populated counties under a plastic bag reduction effort. As every Hawaiian gets into the habit of using eco-friendly grocery bags, there is hope when it comes to reducing the pollution of this great state’s natural resources. Natural Resources That Demand Protecting One of the Sierra Club...