The first thing you notice when you walk into the dry cleaners is the smell of toxic chemicals.  Why is it that so few people even question what it is they are spending their money to have their clothes saturated with.  Why is it that so few of those who use reusable shopping bags bother to question the effects these chemicals have on the environment?  

The Environmental Protection Agency has shown that the chemical used by most dry cleaners (perchlorethylene) has negative effects on people employed by dry cleaners and people who live near them, ranging from chronic headaches to kidney damage.  It is time to start doing something about the careless use of this toxic chemical.  

Dry cleaners’ facilities are traditionally set up in such a way that the exhaust coming from the drier pollutes the air, water, and soil with toxic vapors.  Considering the chemicals they use, there is no way to avoid this pollution.  

Things You Can Do to Help Fix the Problem

Ultimately your best option is to seek out dry cleaners that use the new, ironic-sounding wet-cleaning system, which is much better for the environment.  If there are no dry cleaners in your area that use this system, it is best to ask dry cleaners about their cleaning techniques and what chemicals they use.  Environmentally conscious cleaners should catch on to what you are asking and explain what they are doing to protect the environment.  

Another trademark of environmentally conscious dry cleaners is the use of reusable bags.  Generally speaking though, if you smell anything unnatural when you enter the facility, you can almost always be sure that the chemical you are smelling is polluting the environment.  

What To Expect from a Responsible Dry Cleaner

There are many dry cleaners in the United States that are concerned by the environmental hazards presented by traditional dry cleaning solvents and methods.  The most common action being taken is the replacement of old equipment with newer, more efficient equipment that requires less solvent to do the same job.  It is a good idea to ask how old your cleaner’s equipment is.  

Also, you might want to ask how often your dry cleaners clean and maintain their equipment, as this can greatly affect its effectiveness and the toxicity of the vapors being released into the air, soil, and water.  Inquiring about whether they have a vapor barrier is also a good idea, as these can prevent vapors from escaping.  

Your Responsibility

If an environmentally safe dry cleaning facility is not available in your area it is best to avoid using one.  Many articles of clothing are marked for dry cleaning only, but hand-washing them will not hurt them and will reduce the pollution in your area.  

Another way of getting around using the dry cleaners if you have to is to avoid buying clothing that requires dry cleaning.  If this is absolutely impossible for you, then remember that many fabrics do not need to be cleaned every time they are used; a simple airing out will do.  This is especially true for non-synthetic fabrics like wool.  And always remember, unless you are using reusable dry cleaning bags, you are not doing your part, no matter how eco-friendly your dry cleaners are.

About the Author:
Eliza Reeder writes articles that deal with environmental concerns and eco-friendly living. She encourages everyone to help protect our planet’s future by doing things like using reusable grocery bags. You can find more eco-friendly living tips on her reusable bags site.

Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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The biggest problem with trying to completely eradicate plastic bag usage is that people use their plastic bags for other purposes. Whether it is picking up dog poop or lining a small trash can, many people recycle their plastic bags.

But let me ask you this: How many plastic bags are currently in your cupboard? How many of these plastic bags will never be used? How many plastic bags do you throw away because you already have an abundant stockpile? Ana Lorenzo has found a solution with her company, The Bag Movement .

The Bag Movement is changing the world one bag at a time! Ana Lorenzo suggests taking a five-pack of her reusable bags to the store and when you buy seven or eight bags of groceries, get a couple plastic bags too. This way you will still maintain your plastic bag stockpile, but you will not throw away the excess bags.

The Bags

Ana Lorenzo has engineered a collection of multi-colored, 100% polyester, reusable bags. Each bag is compact enough to roll-up and fit in your pocket, is strong enough to hold 6 two-liter bottles of soda and durable enough to last 20 trips through the washer. A 5-pack of her bags only costs $14.95 (about $2.50 per bag) while her competitors charge upwards of $35 for 5 bags.

The mission of The Bag Movement is not only to help preserve the environment, but also to generate money for charities. 15% of the net proceeds will be donated to good causes. The different colors of the bags represent different charities. Red bags support AIDS and heart disease research. Blue bags sponsor child abuse prevention. Pink bags support breast cancer research, and so forth. Purchasing and using the bags from The Bag Movement is one simple thing you can do to better the world.

The Company

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that somewhere between 500 billion and 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year. Ana Lorenzo realizes how harmful plastic bags are to the environment and wants to do something about it. With this in mind, Ana started The Bag Movement out of her home in September of this year.

She also found that people generally do not like purchasing or using reusable bags because they flaunt unsightly logos. Personally, Ana believes that this defeats the purpose of trying to support a good cause. This is why each of her bags displays an awareness ribbon for the various charities she supports.

Over the past few months, Ana has found some creative ways to raise awareness for The Bag Movement. She has marketed her business with an NBC press release, local magazine advertisements, a home remodeling show and even school fundraisers. Ana described the school fundraising program as a “Triple Whammy” of societal contribution (helping the environment, charities and schools)!

Consumers Should Know

Using reusable bags is one simple thing consumers can do to preserve the environment and help charities. Once you develop the habit of taking your reusable bags to the store, it is easy. Plastic bags are an absolute waste. Over an average life time, each person who replaces plastic bags with reusable bags will save over 22,000 bags from our landfills and oceans.

The Company Outlook

To get off the ground, The Bag Movement started as a for-profit. But with her passion of bettering the world, Ana hopes that her company can afford to be non-profit organization in the future.

Ana Lorenzo could not have started her company at a better time. Several countries around the world have already banned plastic bags including China, Bangladesh, Ireland, Rwanda and some parts of Canada. In 2007, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban plastic bags and several more U.S. cities are in the process of banning them. Ultimately she hopes that plastic bags will be banned entirely. Until then, Ana Lorenzo and The Bag Movement are well on their way to changing the world one bag at a time.

Nick Tart is the editor of four main sites for Worldwide Marketing Solutions. One of which is Great Earth News. GreatEarthNews.com provides information and tips to help you better the world. Please check out GreatEarthNews.com if you enjoyed reading this article.
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Please Note... All links within articles are placed by their author-owners and not by this blog.Products with in those links may or may not be the best in the world.If it sounds too good to be true it could be a scam.Articles are posted for their info,ideas and or entertainment value only.

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