Reduce Reuse Recycle…Regurgitate
I’m sure you’ve all seen those lovely reuseable shopping bags we’re all supposed to use instead of the environment-raping paper or plastic bags. I don’t even get asked “paper or plastic” anymore because my local stores don’t use paper bags and push the heck out of their $2 hemp bags.
I don’t use them because they have the store logo on them and I don’t feel like lugging around free advertising for the store. I don’t like them quite that much. I figure if they want me to be a walking billboard, they can throw me a few bucks.
Now I have another reason not to use the bags. It appears that they can also be mold-filled containers of bacterial death.
A microbiological study — a first in North America — of the popular, eco-friendly bags has uncovered some unsettling facts. Swab-testing by two independent laboratories found unacceptably high levels of bacterial, yeast, mold and coliform counts in the reusable bags.
“The main risk is food poisoning,” Dr. Richard Summerbell, research director at Toronto-based Sporometrics and former chief of medical mycology for the Ontario Ministry of Health, stated in a news release. Dr. Summerbell evaluated the study results.
“But other significant risks include skin infections such as bacterial boils, allergic reactions, triggering of asthma attacks, and ear infections,” he stated.
Duane Lester is less than impressed.
Bacterial boils. That sounds really nice. Almost as nice as fecal matter. Oh yeah, the bags had fecal matter in them.
So, the unintended consequences of pimping these reusable bags is an increase of food poisoning and skin irritation. Personally, I’ll take plastic.
By the way, The simple solution is to wash your bags. With bleach.
And dry them with a flamethrower, just to be sure.
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Category: Oh the Climate, It is A-Changin'
Ah, that's very, very interesting!
Considering my son (who has Asperger's) also exhibits PICA (mouths and chews non food objects) and is asthmatic, this is some necessary information.
I have a few of these bags and had used them periodically, some of which barely stood up. Wonder how they'll fare in the washing machine–and with bleach no less.
Funny how these enviro fanatics are so concerned about the trees etc (have you ever seen that absurd YouTube clip of people crying for trees: "Trees, we care about you!" ), but they have no issues with our children getting sick or being put in danger.
And then they wonder why so many of us dislike them.
I think it depends on the bag. I have a couple from WalMart that seem solid enough. Same for the one I have from my local Safeway. I'd much rather have the linen tote bags, if I have to carry them, because they do wash much more easily.
All things being equal, though, I'd prefer paper bags at the grocery store. Unless it's raining.
This is common sense…anyone who has ever had a lunch bag or cooler would notice the same thing. The moisture alone coming off the groceries is enough to produce mold; sticky stuff leaking or blood or juice dripping from fresh meat packs would be even worse. I don't have any of their stupid bags…for one, because they look far too small & I would need way to many.
The only thing I do have are those hot/cold bags they sell in the freezer isle. In the dead of summer, they are really nice to have…keeps everything cold from the store freezer to the home freezer. But I have to take a washcloth & some cleanser to the inside after each use.