Eco-friendly bags are made from cotton or grass and jute cloth. These items create bags that aim to protect environment, can be used for shopping, working and picnicking. The Center’s goal is to reduce the number of regular plastic bags, which now runs into millions daily, by 100,000 this year and 1 million a day by the end of 2011.

The program will be extended to Ho Chi Minh City, Da Nang, Hai Phong, and other cities and provinces in future and according to the HCMC Waste Recycle Fund, city residents dump 50 tons of used plastic bags daily.

The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment said each Vietnamese family discards an average of one bag a day, or 365 every year. According to the HCMC Natural Resources and Environment Department, there must be a widespread campaign to help people kick their plastic shopping bag habit and to encourage them to use green bags instead.

Plastic bags are ubiquitous and Americans tote over 100 billion single-use bags annually and the majority is not recycled. They are discarded in landfills, inland waterways, in the middle of the oceans and along roadsides.

After the missing Air France plane went down in the mid-atlantic, rescuers found it complicated to search for missing passengers because of sea-borne trash, much of it plastic. United States consumers are now insisting on using environmentally friendly bags. Numerous businesses, particularly grocery stores are also starting to meet that demand. Some sell bags at a nominal cost or give them to regular customers. Eventually, shift in consumer preference will reduce or eliminate the widespread of plastic bags.

San Francisco, for instance has banned the bags altogether and Los Angeles will follow suit next year. A city council vote in the country’s capital will determine the fate of plastic bags there. Other communities are considering similar laws.

There are myriads of problems with plastic bags from an environmental and energy standpoint. Manufacturing plastic bags consume precious non-renewable petrochemicals that could be better allotted elsewhere. The material never completely degrades and this is the cause of ocean litter. It disintegrates into smaller particles that make their way into every stage of the marine food chain.

Even though many people reuse plastic bags to line their trash cans, it’s not hard to imagine that the number is negligible compared to those bags thrown away after one use and it doesn’t come close to justifying their continued deleterious effect on the environment.

Parts of the world are starting to use green bags like calico bags or canvas bags which are made from organic cotton. These types of bags can last as long as one year and can be washed to keep bacteria out from the groceries we bring home. Governments from different countries are starting to act on this issue, but we can also start investing in reusable bags so we can begin saving the environment.

There are many ways to help save the environment and one of the simplest ways is to change our shopping habits which can make a significant impact. Instead of using plastic bags, supermarkets are advised to switch to the more comfortable eco friendly bags. Replacing plastic bags with jute bags, calico bags or other green bags can show people your awareness on environmental aspects.

New eco friendly alternatives give solutions to some environmental problems in an easy and fashionable way. To further increase environmental awareness, sharing your knowledge to friends and family members as well as giving them gifts made of recycled materials can encourage them to do the same.

Another country that plans to eliminate the devastating impact that plastic bags have on the environment is China. China officially released its new standards for plastic bags which will soon be implemented. The new standards prevent retailers and supermarket from handing out colorized plastic bags because these bags are usually made from wasted plastics which pollute the environment.

In the United Kingdom, a group of British school children created a campaign to persuade the Queen to stop using plastic bags and switch to eco friendly ones instead. They have also targeted Prime Minister Gordon Brown and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver. Although the Queen’s private thoughts have not been disclosed by a Buckingham Palace spokesman, many people are amazed and inspired to see children supporting the environment and being proactive about getting the message out.

One of the most useful bags is a calico bag. It is a made of organic cotton and other environmentally friendly materials. It is very comfortable to use and has the durability to carry things and can hold just about anything you can put them in.

What makes calico bags and other eco friendly bags appealing is the excitement they bring to businesses. They make every design fit into the customers’ fashion sense and needs. Bags have numerous types of designs, such as shopping bags, shoulder bags, sling bags, business satchels and tote bags. All of these items can be made of the finest and durable eco friendly materials.

It is important to look at the environmental attributes of a product such as toxicity and other harmful components. Using calico bags promotes practicality for everyone including environment-conscious shoppers.

The consequences of using organic non-biodegradable products is environment oriented depletion and of course, global warming. Buying products and services that don’t harm the environment is a powerful choice that a consumer can make. Organic products promote the health and wellness of our body. The idea of manufacturing eco products is generated from the thoughts about the future of our planet. Organic and eco products maintain a sense for a safe environment and healthy living. These products can help protect the environment and can be recycled for further use, which means that the amount of toxic materials entering our eco systems can be reduced.

Eco friendly handicraft items like bags are mostly handmade and are also environment friendly because producing them does not require the consumption of a lot of energy. So when it’s time to shop for bags, shop like your life depended on it.

The amount of plastic bags accumulated in a single person’s lifespan is staggering. About 1 percent of the disposable bags are recycled while the rest that refuse to decompose end up in landfills. Go green products like reusable bags are good for any occasion aside from doing the groceries. Each reusable bag can cut down the number of disposable bags consumed by drastic numbers as well as do wonders in fighting global warming. These can also offer a stylish way to advertise a company or a certain business.

Most reusable grocery bags can be produced in various types of materials like polypropylene, 100% Recycle PET and heavy duty polyester. One of the common bags used are calico bags and they are available on the market. It is made out of recycled cotton and other environmental friendly materials. Another type of bag used is called the jute bag, made from natural fiber just like cotton. For those women who are fashion conscious, these eco friendly bags can also be customized by your own design and can make you look good in their own way.

Biodegradable plastic bags are made from farmed products such as cornstarch that break down into elements like methane, carbon dioxide and water. They do not decompose automatically and need the right conditions to do so. In order to decompose, a biodegradable plastic bag should be composted and not sent to landfill because it may contribute to methane emissions. To meet international standards, the plastic bag should compost within 12 weeks and fully biodegrade in 6 months.

The thing is, biodegradable plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to fully decompose. Numerous environmental organizations argue that plastics do not go far enough when it comes to saving the planet. Even if a plastic does biodegrade within 6 months, that’s plenty of time to cause serious issues; it can end up in the ocean and kill wildlife. In addition, up to one trillion bags are used on our planet every year and every single one can kill regardless of their biodegradable properties. This gives all of us enough reason why we should start using environmentally friendly bags.

Using plastic bags have a number of disadvantages. They are made from petrochemicals which are not renewable and when disposed of improperly, they can endanger many forms of wildlife. Compared to calico bags and other eco friendly bags, plastic does not readily biodegrade in a sanitary landfill and can also cause unsupervised infants to suffocate when not handled properly.

On the contrary, reusable bags allow you to use the same one again and again for several years before it decomposes naturally. On March 2008, United Kingdom Prime Minister Gordon Brown threatened to force supermarkets and retailers to cease using plastic bags if they do not do so voluntarily. This underscores the importance of switching to green shopping bags as soon as possible.

Aside from the positive results of using eco friendly shopping bags, they have a minimum impact on the natural environment and this means both the construction and disposal of the bag.