Plastic Shopping Bags: Truth in Numbers

September 18, 2009Green IssuesEnvironmental, Plastics ReductionBulletin Bag

500,000,000,000: Society’s annual consumption rate of plastic bags–nearly 1 million per minute.
380,000,000,000: Number of plastic shopping bags consumed by Americans per year.
12,000,000: Barrels of oil used per year to produce plastic shopping bags used by Americans.
1,000,000: Seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals & sea turtles worldwide die yearly from ingesting plastics.
46,000: Pieces of plastic rubbish found on every square mile of central Pacific Ocean.
1,460: Number of plastic bags used each year by the average family of four.
1,000: Number of years that single-use plastic bags can remain on our planet.
75: Percentage of all grocery bags used in the US that are plastic.
2: Percentage of plastic bags produced each year that are recycled.
1: Number of high-quality reusable bags needed to eliminate up to 1,000 plastic bags.

Use One, Save 1,000.

Bulletin Bag [.com] Launches School Eco-fundraising Program

August 26, 2009Bulletin Bag Products, Promotion IdeasFundraisers, Nonprofits, Printing Ideas, SchoolsBulletin Bag

Bulletin Bag [.com] , a provider of custom printed reusable shopping bags, today announced the launch of Cooperation Green. A cooperative fundraising effort between schools, their communities and vital program advertisers, Cooperation Green enables schools to maximize fundraising dollars by producing higher profits with less financial risk.

” Cooperation Green connects advertisers with interested audiences to share their environmental commitments, along with their products and services,” said Suzette Bergeron, owner of Bulletin Bag [.com]. “It provides funding for schools through healthy, inspiring activities while empowering students to be environmental leaders.”

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Big Ideas for a Small Planet: Damariscotta, Maine

August 17, 2009Bulletin Bag Products, Green Issues, Promotion IdeasCool Kids, Fundraisers, Nonprofits, Printing Ideas, Schools, SustainabilityBulletin Bag

Lincoln Academy’s Climate Action Club , located in Damariscotta, Maine, has been trying to raise awareness about reusable bags in their community for several years. Headed by Chloe Maxim, the CAC created a video about the problems with plastic bags . Subsequently, Chloe and the CAC gained recognition by the Sundance Channel, MTV, and others. The project began with a video, and then a pledge page (to pledge the use of reusable bags). From there, it blossomed into a full-blown campaign. Their goal? Reduce the use of plastic bags in Damariscotta by distributing town-wide custom-imprinted reusable bags.

The CAC, together with local businesses, organizations, and individuals, sponsor the bags in exchange for their logo imprinted on each reusable bag. The CAC led a very successful merchant’s meeting last March to discuss their campaign with local merchants Former Maine Representative Ted Koffman and reusable bag expert Suzette Bergeron of Bulletin Bag.

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Why Reusable Bags are Great Promotional Vehicles in Tough Economic Times

July 15, 2009Promotion IdeasPrinting Ideas, RetailBulletin Bag

Let’s face it: times are tough. You need to spend marketing dollars to get sales, but you need sales to fund your marketing budget. For a relatively inexpensive promotion with maximum staying-power, look to reusable bags. Custom logoed reusable bags are the perfect promotional vehicle for our tight economy.

For starters, you can’t beat the targeted marketing. The person buying, receiving, and using the bag is usually the person who does the majority of the shopping and therefore the person makes the majority of the household buying decisions. From which bank, a mortgage broker or insurance company the family uses; to which hair salon they frequent, to which brands and stores they are loyal to – this is a powerful demographic! Reusable bag advertising allows you to put your company name and message directly in the hands of the person of this person — and keep it there until they are ready to do business with you.

Reusable bags are used an average of one time a week and likely remain visible in the car and in the home when not in use. Most people will keep–and use–the bag for 5 years or more. What other imprinted promotional product can consistently claim that longevity? Added bonus: using a reusable bag saves an average of 12-16 plastic carryout bags per week.

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Reusable bags allow retailers to be remembered long after the shopping is done

June 18, 2009Promotion IdeasPrinting Ideas, RetailBulletin Bag

Reusable bags giveaways are a great way to increase your company’s visibility at shows, festivals, and public events. Since most people will make the most of a free reusable bag—no matter what is custom imprinted on it—your logo will find its way to other public venues and stay top of mind with who sees it (a good reason for an eye-catching imprint)!

Can you imagine handing your message to 8,000 captive recipients? Hilton Dinner is co-owner of the Bon Ton Bakery in Edmonton. Over the last year, he’s given away 8,000 reusable grocery bags as part of celebrations for the bakery’s 50th anniversary. On top of reducing the number of plastic bags the bakery gives away, Dinner’s business is also powered by wind.

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Trading Plastic for Power

May 27, 2009Green Issues, Promotion IdeasEvents, Plastics Reduction, RecyclingBulletin Bag

About a year ago, Colorado mountain towns Telluride and Aspen competed to see whose residents could consume fewer disposable plastic bags in favor of reusable bags. Over the course of the three-month challenge, the two towns cut back on almost 150,000 disposable plastic bags! The winner of the challenge was Telluride and as a reward they received new solar panels for the local high school. The solar panels come in the form of a grant issued by Alpine Bank.

Dave Allen, who spearheaded the effort with Aspen’s Nathan Ratledge, started contacting members of the Colorado Association of Ski Towns to see if a bigger challenge had yet to be born. Apparently, it was simply a matter of planting the seed and building momentum, because word of this eco-friendly rivalry spread quicker than skiers and boarders can cut first tracks and everyone wanted a shot at reducing their plastic bag consumption. Enter round two of the challenge.

Twenty-five ski towns throughout the Rocky Mountains are participating in the 2009 Colorado Association of Ski Towns (CAST) Reusable Bag Challenge sponsored by Alpine Bank. The contest runs now through September 1st, and the prize is the same (why change what works?)—solar panel energy for a public school in the winning town.

Towns like Durango are organizing their efforts through the towns Rotary youth groups. Bags are tallied every time someone brings in a reusable bag, so if one person brings 5 bags, 5 tallies are counted. What a great way to get an entire community to rally around reducing plastic waste and using reusable shopping bags. Just think of what we could accomplish in a worldwide contest …

Why we need to reduce plastic – starting now!

May 14, 2009Green IssuesEnvironmental, Plastics Reduction, SustainabilityBulletin Bag

Have you ever heard of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch ? It’s believed to be the world’s largest dump. Plastic debris from the world over makes its way into waterways, where it’s carried out to sea and trapped in swirling ocean currents, thereby forming a trash dump in the North Pacific that’s twice the size of Texas. Even Oprah’s talking about it !

Think that doesn’t affect you? About 46,000 pieces of plastic litter are floating in every square mile of ocean. Up to one million seabirds and 100,000 marine mammals and sea turtles worldwide die each year from eating plastic. When two scientists in the Pacific caught a commercially harvested fish and cut it open, they found 17 pieces of plastic inside. We need to educate people are the very real consequences of our addiction to throw-away plastic. Captain Charle’s Moore, who confirmed the phenomenon in a 1977 sailing expedition, will begin more intense voyage in June, to further his research and help build awareness of this issue, according to the Huffinton Post.

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Wholesale Reusable Bags for your Retail Store

February 15, 2009Bulletin Bag Products, Promotion IdeasPrinting Ideas, RetailBulletin Bag

Are you looking for logo printed reusable bags for resale in your retail store? Whether you’re looking for inexpensive non-woven grocery bags , organic cotton bags , folding nylon reusable bags or the latest in full color custom reusable bags — there are a lot of options out there and we want to help you find the best ‘fit’ for your brand.

Look for a reusable bag, or two or even three, that speaks to your retail store and your customer base. By offering your customers a few different styles of reusable bags you are able to further build your brand personality — while encouraging the reduction of wasteful plastic and paper bags.

Reusable Bags are becoming ‘the norm’ and over the next several years consumers across the country are going to be stocking up on reusable bags. The average family of four will need at least a dozen bags set aside for reusables. People are tired of the wasteful habits of our past. Current statistics show that we may be nearing 20% usage of reusable bags in grocery stores, but that leaves 80% of our population waiting to make the switch.

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Reusable Bag Tip of the Week: You’re going to need a lot of bags!

December 16, 2008Bulletin Bag Products, Reusable Bag TipsFolding Bags, Plastics ReductionBulletin Bag

If you’re like me, you’ve been ducking into stores for holiday errands between meetings or on your way to/from the office.

If you’re like me, you’ve compiled every last one of your folding reusable bags , and keep an arsenal by the door.

If you’re like me, you’re transferring them to the passenger seat of the car when you head out.

If you’re like me, you’re stashing bags in your purse each time you brave the holiday madness.

If you’re like me, you’re offering up reusable bags to cashiers at non-grocery stores who are completely and totally befuddled by your request (even though the store sells their own reusable bags!)

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Are Reusable Bags Really Better for the Environment?

November 21, 2008Bulletin Bag Products, Reusable Bag TipsNonwoven Polypropylene, RecyclingBulletin Bag

Not too long ago the Wall Street Journal published and article called An Inconvenient Bag. The article talks about the reusable bag movement and questions this latest green trend. While the article points to many valid and important reasons to replace paper and plastic with reusable bags, the argument against reusable bags seems to have gained the favor of the blogosphere and led many to question whether this is just another case of greenwashing.

It’s absolutely true that not all reusable bags are created equal. Some are made locally , some are made overseas, some are organic , some are hemp , some use pesticides, some are made from post consumer recycled materials and some are even made from virgin plastics that may or may not be recyclable. (….)

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