According to the EPA, in 2006 the United States produced more than 251 million tons of solid waste, which equals about 4.6 pounds of waste per person per day.

Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. (About one million per minute.) Billions end up as litter each year.

According to The Wall Street Journal, the U.S. goes through 100 billion plastic shopping bags per year. Estimated cost to retailers is in excess of $4 billion. In addition, almost 12 million barrels of oil is required to make America’s plastic shopping bags each year.

Four out of five grocery bags in the US are now plastic.

Plastic bags don’t biodegrade, they photodegrade – breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic pieces, contaminating soil and waterways before entering the food chain when animals accidentally consume them.

It is estimated that a single high quality reusable bag (like the kind sold at most supermarkets) has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime.

What can you do? Here are some simple tips that can help you save money, energy, and reduce the amount of waste in landfills. With just a little effort, you can make a difference!

• Try to buy items that are in recyclable containers.
• Don’t buy single-serving items. When you can, buy in bulk. This saves plastic, paper packaging, and multiple trips to the store.
• Only use paper towels when necessary. Instead, opt for a reusable cloth towel.
• Consider indoor and outdoor composting of waste and organic yard materials.
• When purchasing takeout, don’t take unnecessary condiment packs.
• Don’t wrap presents – use a reusable gift bag.
• Recycle batteries, cell phones, ink cartridges.
• Take reusable shopping bags to all retail location.
• Bring dry cleaning hangers back to the dry cleaners.
• And, of course, always bring your Dry Greening bag to the dry cleaners!

Learn more about reducing waste.

• Turn off appliances and devices when not in use (lights, TVs, computers, cell phone chargers).
• Check furnace or air conditioner filter each month, and clean or replace them as needed. Dirty filters block air flow, increasing your energy bill and shortening the equipment’s life.
• Activate "sleep" features on computers and office equipment that power down when not in use for a while. Turn off equipment during longer periods of non-use to cut energy costs and improve longevity.
• When cooking, keep the lids on pots. Better yet, use a microwave oven instead.
• About 15 percent of an average home energy bill goes to heating water. To save hot water, take five-minute showers instead of baths. Do only full loads when using the clothes washer or dishwasher. Use cold water for laundry and save up to $63 a year—detergents formulated for cold water get clothes just as clean.
• Lower the temperature on your water heater. It should be set at “warm,” so that a thermometer held under running water reads no more than 120 degrees.