You may have heard that reusable grocery bags are significantly better for the environment than single-use plastic bags, but do you know why?

Here are some facts about why single-use plastic bags, those innocent looking bags that you get handed when you go to the supermarket, may be counted among one of the most sinister forces of pollution on our planet:

Every year almost 500 billion to 1 trillion single-use plastic bags are used all over the world. Since these are made up of high density polyethylene plastic (HDPE), they are almost indestructible. It would take about 1,000 years for them to completely disintegrate back to their original chemical ingredients. Since they can’t be destroyed, those that don’t get buried in landfills, end up as litter blowing across landscapes. Many of these bags clog streams and end up in the ocean to create plastic islands that suffocate fish and disrupt the natural food chain.

In contrast, reusable plastic bags, made out of biodegradable products, can be used hundreds of times. They have a substantially less of an environmental impact on a per use basis than the ever-present plastic bags.