Recycling plastic bags helps our planet by reducing pollution, protecting wildlife from harm or entrapment, and saving energy used to make new plastic from fossil fuels. Repurposing old bags gives bags a second life, prevents them from piling up in landfills, prevents storm drain blockages, and limits tiny plastic particles that pollute the environment.

Some great reasons to repurpose plastic bags include:

• Environmental Protection: Since only about 12% of plastic bags are recycled, reusing them keeps them out of oceans and landfills, helping safeguard marine life and ecosystems.
• Saving Resources: Recycling a ton (2000 pounds) of plastic bags can save about 11 barrels of oil, meaning there is less need for new raw materials and lower carbon emissions.
• Smarter Waste Management: You can reuse bags as trash liners, for home organization, or for DIY projects like making mats for those in need.
• Economic Advantages: Recycling plastic bags helps promote recycling jobs, lowers disposal costs for businesses, and promotes a circular economy where materials are reused instead of wasted.

Did you know that plastic bags can be versatile? After cleaning them, you can reuse them. Here are some fun and practical ideas to get you started:

Household Hacks: 

•  Use them as small trash can liners in your bathroom or office.
• Slip them inside empty tissue boxes for quick, tidy dispensing.

Packing & Protection:

• Stuff bags into shoes or handbags to help keep their shape.
• Wrap fragile items when moving or use them to separate wet or dirty clothes into your luggage.

Gardening & Cleaning:

• Tie bags around plants to shield them from frost.
• Cover your paintbrushes to keep them moist longer.

Creative Upcycling Projects:

• Make “plarn” (plastic yarn) by cutting bags into strips and looping them together, then crochet mats, baskets, or bags.
• Fuse several bags between parchment paper and iron them to craft thick, plastic fabric for all kinds of DIY projects.
• Get creative with other crafts! You can make jump ropes, draft stoppers called door snakes, or woven coasters.

Eco-Friendly Disposal:

• Many grocery stores have drop-off points for recycling plastic bags responsibly.
• Use reusable store bags 

By properly reusing or recycling, we can all help reduce pollution in our ecosystems and cut down on the need for new, resource-intensive plastic production.

CALL BEFORE YOU DIG

811 is the national call-before-you-dig phone number. Anyone who plans to dig should call 811 or go to their state 811 center’s website before digging to request that the approximate location of buried utilities be marked with paint or flags so that you don’t unintentionally dig into an underground utility line. You should call 811 or use your state 811 center’s website a few business days before you begin any digging, including common projects like planting trees and shrubs or installing fences and mailboxes. The specific amount of advance notice that you are required to provide varies by state.