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We understand there is always more we can do to help kick single use. That is why we have implemented a number of environmental and social programs designed to make our business cleaner and planet healthier. While we understand there is a long way to go to solving the environmental problems we all face, it is our belief that by taking it one step at a time, we will make a difference. If you have ideas on how we can improve upon our commitment, we invite you to contact us at takeaction@chicobag.com.
Download our 2018 Impact ReportWe invite you to join the reusable bag movement! ChicoBag has made a commitment to help humanity bag the single-use habit. As part of that commitment, we support efforts around the country to implement policies that limit single-use bags and ultimately make the world a better, safer place. It takes more than reusable bags to put an end to Bag Monsters; it takes education, dedication and a commitment to the planet. Take action and contact advocacy@chicobag.com to start making a difference today.
The average life of a plastic bag is just 12 minutes. Something made from a material designed to last for thousands of years is only used for mere minutes. (Source: 5 Gyres, Accessed April 2017)
The sun and waves break down most plastics into microparticles, which never truly biodegrade. The result is an estimated 5.25 trillion particles of “plastic smog” polluting our oceans worldwide. Eighty percent of that marine plastic pollution comes from land. Microplastics attract nasty pollutants like flame retardants and other industrial chemicals which make them up to one million times more toxic than the water around them. These pollutants can make their way up the food chain and ultimately end up on our plates. (Source: 5 Gyres, Accessed April 2017)
More than 1,200 species are impacted by plastic, through ingestion or entanglement, both of which can sicken or even kill them. Plastic wreaks havoc on a marine ecosystem dependent on phytoplankton, which produce 70% of the earth’s oxygen and sequester 40% of its carbon. (Source: 5 Gyres, Accessed April 2017)
The cleanup of plastic bags is costly. California spends $25 million annually to landfill discarded plastic bags and public agencies spend more than $500 million annually in litter cleanup. (Source: Surfrider Foundation, Accessed April 2017)
Fifty to eighty percent of dead sea turtles have ingested plastic. Plastic bags, which resemble jellyfish, are the most commonly found item in sea turtles’ stomachs. (Source: Surfrider Foundation, Accessed April 2017)
Worldwide, 82 of 144 examined bird species contained plastic debris in their stomachs; and in some cases, 80% of the population had consumed plastic. (Source: Surfrider Foundation, Accessed April 2017)
A term coined by 5 Gyres, Plastic Smog refers to the particles of plastic pollution that have settled to the sea floor. In the ocean, ultraviolet light makes plastic brittle and wave action crushes it, breaking it down into microplastics - pieces smaller than a grain of rice. Check out the trailer for the documentary, “Smog of the Sea”, produced by Jack Johnson that is about 5 Gyres 2014 Expedition. (Source: 5 Gyres, Accessed April 2017)