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Conserving Natural Resources
During a typical week, we manage to acquire a variety of plastic and paper bags at grocery stores, butcher markets, convenience stores and shopping malls.
The average person collects 10 bags per week. Studies show that the majority of these bags are immediately tossed into the trash and end up in a landfill. We know that we are running out of landfill space. The infamous Staten Island landfill will soon be closed, joining a long list of landfills throughout the country that are now at capacity levels. Many states are down to their last 10% of landfill space.
Each of us can begin to address this problem by conserving resources and one of the easiest ways is to reuse bags rather than constantly getting more of them.
This means taking a dozen bags to the grocery store to pack your purchases in as well as carrying a bag to convenience stores or shopping malls. And even a dozen plastic bags can easily be crushed into a purse or the pocket of a coat. Sooner or later, the bags we use tear and still have to be discarded. It is not possible to recycle plastic bags. Another alternative is to purchase net bags that greatly expand when filled to capacity. These types of bags are used throughout Israel and much of Europe.
Keep track of the number of bags you use and then make the decision to follow the mitzvah of bal tashchit, not wasting.
Each small step we take toward conserving our natural resources makes us more aware of how we can change our lifestyles.
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