Do something drastic.

Cut the plastic

Disposable Shopping Bag

Plastic bags are used by everybody. You get them right from a vegetable vendor to a designer store. Plastic bags are very popular with both retailers as well as consumers because they are cheap, strong, lightweight, functional, as well as a hygienic means of carrying food as well as other goods. Even though they are one of the modern conveniences that we seem to be unable to do without, shop keepers from providing plastic bags to customers for carrying their purchases, with little lasting effect, but they are responsible for causing pollution, killing wildlife, and using up the precious resources of the earth. . About a hundred billion plastic bags are used every year in the US alone. And then, when one considers the huge economies and populations of India, China, Europe, and other parts of the world, the numbers can be staggering. Around 500,000 plastic bags are collected during Clean up Australia Day each year. Clean up Australia Day is a nationwide initiative to get as many members of the public to get out and pick up litter from their local areas. Unfortunately, each year in Australia approximately 50 million plastic bags end up as garbage. Plastics industry in Pakistan is one of the oldest in the country and its existence can be traced out even in the year 1947 when Pakistan came into being. The industry can be divided into two sector i.e. organized and unorganized. Organized sector, with about 600-700 units, is capable of producing quality products. The unorganized sector produces low quality and cheap products. Despite this, the unorganized sector has grown faster than the organized sector in the past15 years.

The industry is growing at an annual average of 15% and in the process of development it has surpassed all other industrial sectors. The per capita consumption in the country has also shown an upward trend during the last 15 years [except post 9/11 events and standoff with India]. Today the domestic consumption of plastics stands at 2.7 kgs, far less than the international average, yet Pakistan is the second largest domestic market in South East Asia after India. With the 175 million strong population of Pakistan growing at an annual rate of 2.2%, coupled with new foreign and local investment and the government policy advocating use of PP woven bags for

industrial packaging, it is expected that the per capita consumption of plastics is like to increase to 4.0 kegs by 2007. Till the early years of 1990s, the customs duty on plastics raw material was on unrealistically higher side of about 110 % which has been gradually brought down to the current level of 20%. More and more people around the world are becoming aware of the environmental issues surrounding plastic bags. Considering their somewhat placid appearance, the impact of plastic bags on the environment can be devastating.

Here are some facts about the environmental impact of plastic bags:

Every year, around 500 billion Plastic bags are used worldwide. So many that over one million bags are being used every minute and they are damaging our environment. India's plastics consumption is one of the highest in the world. Plastic bags cause over 100,000 sea turtle and other marine animal deaths every year when animals mistaken them for food. The manufacture of plastic bags adds tones of carbon emissions into the air annually. Between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are used worldwide each year. Approximately 60 - 100 million barrels of oil are required to make the worlds plastic bags each year. Most plastic bags take over 400 years to biodegrade. Some figures indicate that plastic bags could take over 1000 years to break down. China uses around 3 billion plastic bags each day. In the UK, each person uses around 220 plastic bags each year. In the UK, banning plastic bags would be the equivalent of taking 18,000 cars off the roads each year.

How are Plastic Bags Harmful to the Environment

Our planet is becoming increasingly contaminated by "Plastic Pollution" and by our unnecessary use of plastic carry bags. The following paragraphs will discuss the impact of plastic pollution on environment.

Plastic bags litter the landscape once they are used; most plastic bags go into landfill, or rubbish tips. Each year more and more plastic bags are ending up littering the environment. Once they become litter, plastic bags find

their way into our waterways, parks, beaches, and streets. And, if they are burned, they infuse the air with toxic fumes.

Plastic bags kill animals About 100,000 animals such as dolphins, turtles whales, penguins are killed every year due to plastic bags. Many animals ingest plastic bags, mistaking them for food, and therefore die. And worse, the plastic bag remains integral even after the death and decomposition of the animal. Thus, it lies around in the landscape where another victim may consume it. Plastic bags are non-biodegradable one of the worst environmental effects of plastic bags is that they are non-biodegradable. The decomposition of plastic bags takes about 400 years. No one will live so long to witness decomposition of plastic. Thus, save the environment for the future generation of humans as well as animals. Petroleum is required to produce plastic bags Petroleum products are diminishing and getting more expensive by the day, since we have used this non-renewable resource increasingly. Petroleum is vital for our modern way of life. It is necessary for our energy requirements - for our factories, transport, heating, lighting, and so on. Without viable alternative sources of energy yet on the horizon, if the supply of petroleum were to be turned off, it would lead to practically the entire world grinding to a halt. And to make plastic, about 60 - 100 million barrels of oil are needed every year around the world. Surely, this precious resource should not be wasted on producing plastic bags, should it? Dangerous to sea life Every year our seas become home to more and more bags that find their way there through our drains and waterways. Every bag that is washed down a drain during rainfall ends up in the sea every bag that is flushed down a toilet ends up in the sea every bag that is drive into a river will most likely end up in the sea. The need to implement various measures to save planet Earth has become even more urgent as we continue to inch towards an obvious disaster that we have created for ourselves.

Jute
Jute has a cultural heritage that stretches back hundreds of years and plays a key role in the economic development of vast areas of Southern Asia as producers meet the demands of their competitive internal and export markets Jute has earned the title 'The Golden Fiber, its natural luster that remains even after processing. From the Corchorus genus of plant species, Jute is a long, soft vegetable fiber that is surprisingly strong and has an inherent anti-static quality that makes it easier to work with. A tropical plant in essence, Jute thrives in hot, humid conditions and in soils that have high levels of sand and clay. It is little wonder then that the Ganges River Delta is at the centre of global Jute production. This area also encounters heavy rainfall during the monsoon season that further benefits Jute growth and the reliability of a good crop. There are two key varieties of jute that are grown commercially, with a marked difference between them. White Jute as its name suggest, is lighter in appearance than its counterpart, Tossa Jute, whose fibers are noticeably softer, silkier and stronger.

Jute Production and processing

Jute is a rain-fed crop with little need for fertilizer or pesticides. The production is concentrated in Bangladesh and some in India, mainly Bengal. The jute fiber comes from the stem and ribbon (outer skin) of the jute plant. The fibers are first extracted by retting. The retting process consists of bundling jute stems together and immersing them in low, running water. There are two types of retting: stem and ribbon. After the retting process, stripping begins. Women and children usually do this job. In the stripping process, non-fibrous matter is scraped off, then the workers dig in and grab the fibers from within the jute stem. India, Pakistan, China is the large buyers of local jute while Britain, Spain, Germany and Brazil also import raw jute from Bangladesh. India is the world's largest jute growing country. The finest Jute is grown on the Indian Subcontinent with India and Bangladesh the major global exporters of both Jute fiber and woven Jute products. Jute is often considered the world's second most important vegetable fiber, second only to cotton. The extraction on preparation of jute fiber involves the traditional method of retting. During this simple, yet skilled process, jute fiber is loosened with wooden mallets before being carefully

washed and dried in the sun. The dried jute fibers are then graded by quality before being baled and sent to manufacturers ready for weaving into jute rugs.

Applications

Application

Various grades of jute are used according to their quality and individual properties. Lower grade jute is often utilized as soft, protective packaging in situations where jute natural breathability is a key attribute. Jute is also used for making Rugs, Ropes, Agricultural textiles, Foods and even medicines

The most appealing application for high quality jute, however, must surely be in the production of jute bags.

Jute bags

Jute has gained an advantage as being an eco-friendly option instead of poly and paper bags as polybag are made from petroleum and are non-biodegradable and manufacturing paper bags requires large quantities of wood. Jute has none of these problems and is therefore being used widely for these purposes it is used for making fashion & promotional bags. Jute bags are made from a natural fiber which is 100% bio-degradable and thus environmentally friendly. Also know as Burlap, jute has a silky luster with high tensile strength and low extensibility. It is one of the most versatile natural fibers having applications in packaging, textiles and non-textile sectors. Being annually renewable and bio degradable, it plays a very important role in environment protection. Jute bags provide a natural and ecological alternative to all other synthetic bags. The true number one when it comes to a bag for life. Jute Bags in many styles and colors. Printed Jute Bags are also available

Natural Jute Bags Fashion Colored Jute Bags

Colored Jute Bags

Side Panel Jute Bags

Bottle Jute Bags

Jute Pouches

Bespoke Screen Printed Jute Bags

Advantages of Jute Bags Few advantages of Jute Bags are as follows

Eco-friendly: With the growing concern over the damage to the environment that plastic bags cause, Jute Bags are ideal choice because these are made of Natural Fiber. It gives you an image of Eco-Conscious and aware human being.

Reusable: Jute Bags give advertisement more visibility because they are Reusable. Your customers can reuse it even after they reach home, for their future shopping and packing needs.

Strong: Jute Bags are quite strong and can easily carry up to 15 kilograms compared to conventional carry bags.

Promotional Tool: One of the most salient uses of the jute articles, especially jute shopping bags is as a promotional tool employed by various organization. Any kind of design, logo & imprint can be done

Elegant: Jute Bags look very elegant with their Natural Golden Color. They are also available in a wide range of colors. Any kind of design, logo & imprint can be done as required.

Cheap and Cost Effective: It is cheaper and cost effective and does not tax your pocket.

Durable: It is durable long lasting and can be subjected to rough use. It does not need regular washing with virtually no maintenance

Jute & The Environment

The worldwide awareness on environment and health is likely to provide new opportunities on jute, due to its environment-friendly characteristics. Jute has been employed for centuries as packaging materials. In recent times they are found to be a valuable aid to sound environmental management. Energy source: Jute is an annually renewable energy source with a high biomass production per unit land area. It is biodegradable and its products can be easily disposed without causing environmental hazards. Source of nutrients: The roots of jute plants play a vital role in increasing the fertility of the soil. By rotating with other crops like rice and potatoes, jute acts as a barrier to pest and diseases for others crops and provides also a substantial amount of nutrients to other crops in the form of organic matter and micronutrients. Jute has ecological adaptability, and can be grown on a range of soil types. They have a good tolerance to salinity, water stress and water logging. Agronomically, jute has advantages as regards their resistance to climatic extremes, pests and diseases.

Clean the air: Jute plants have high carbon dioxide (CO2) assimilation rate and it clean the air by consuming large quantities of CO2, which is the main cause of the greenhouse effect. Theoretically, one hectare of jute plants can consume about 15 tons of CO2 from atmosphere and release about 11 tons of oxygen in the 100 days of the jute-growing season. Studies also show that the CO2 assimilation rate of jute is several times higher than that of trees. Biological efficiency: Jute is a fast-growing seasonal crop. It reaches a height of 1.5 to 4.5 meters in a period of 4 to 5 months. The average dry stem production of jute ranges from 20-40 ton per hectare, annually. This contrasts with the production of the fastest growing wood plant which needs at least 10 to 14 years from plantation to harvest, and produces only 8 to 12 ton per hectare annually. Because the biological efficiency of jute is much higher than that of wood plants, the use of jute instead of wood to make paper pulp will lower substantially the cost of production of pulp and paper and save forest resources. Use as Fertilizer: The defoliated jute leaves have fertilizer value and enriches the soil nutrients. Jute leaves are used as vegetables and have nutritional as well medicinal values jute sticks are used for fuel and shelter in jute growing rural areas. This has helped reduce the use of wood in these applications. For Instance, the total production of jute fiber in the world is 3 million tons. This means that on an average 6 million tons of jute sticks are available to the rural people for use as firewood etc. Raw material for paper pulp: Jute contains cellulose like any other raw materials used for paper pulp. Experiments to convert jute fiber and whole jute plant into paper pulp have successfully produced good quality pulp and paper. This increasing demand for paper has led to excessive deforestation in both developed and developing countries. The restoration of the forest resources is difficult because of the relatively long growing cycle of trees. This situation will increase the competitiveness of jute as a raw material for paper pulp and the paper industry. Jute can be used for the production of good quality writing and other papers. Furthermore, using jute for pulp and paper has many advantages, like Using less chemicals than in wood pulping, like chlorine; Consuming less energy than traditional wood pulp due to the low lignin content of jute; Using treated wastewater from jute paper mills for irrigation, etc.

Jute fiber into polypropylene: Jute fiber has the potential to compete with glass fiber, as reinforcing agents in plastics. Technologies exist that make it possible to incorporate jute fiber into polypropylene. The resulting jute composite granules can be used in thermoforming processing techniques, such as injection molding and compression molding. Products made from jute-reinforced composites have the advantage of low cost, low density, renewability and biodegradability. This composite can be used, in the packaging industry, i.e. the manufacturing of crates, boxes or cases used for storage and transportation of agricultural products; in the automobile industry, i.e. to replace glass fiber in car door panels; and as construction material. Jute, for its versatility, rightfully deserves to be branded as the fiber for the future. It is the natural option for a cleaner and healthier the environment.

Recommendations:
1. Use biodegradable bags made from fabrics.

2. Ladies can fold a cotton bag or two in to their purses which can be used to quench their sudden urge for shopping.

3. Nylon bags can be used and reused several times.

4. Donate old news papers and magazines to small scale institutes that cut these old papers in to paper bags and packets.

5. Use a wicker basket. (They can make a fashion statement today.)

6. Educate the local retailers on the ill effects of use of 7. Insist your local retailers to use plastic bags of thicker variety if at all he has to use.

plastics.

8. Offices can distribute canvas bags as New Year gifts instead of diaries and other sweet nothings.

9. Better still buy a foldable shopping trolley. When you can buy a stroller for your new born this is not impossible you see.

Conclusion:

While governments may be working out ways to lessen the impact of plastic bags on the environment, however, each of us should shoulder some of the responsibility for this problem, which ultimately harms us. From the above paragraphs, you must have understood the gist of the harmful effects of plastic bags on environment. They are not only non-biodegradable, but are one of the major pollutants of the sea. For a clean and green environment, try to use alternatives to plastic bags whenever and where ever possible. Cut down on your use of plastic, and do your bit to save our planet.