Have you noticed the growing number of people bringing their own bags to the store with them these days? Plastic bags are out of style! Today's "hip" shoppers use reusable shopping bags.

Not concerned about being 'trendy' and 'hip'? Still using plastic?

The truth is that trendy isn't the issue. The reality is that using plastic bags creates a financial burden, damages the environment, and harms wildlife.

It is estimated that in California alone almost 600 bags are used by consumers every second, on average. And what do you think happens to them after their one use? Most of them are thrown away and the state of California's tax payers pay nearly $8.5 million every year to pay for programs that deal with plastic bag litter. Another $25 million goes towards funding landfills that the plastic bags end up in.

Marine life is also horribly impacted by plastic bag use. Hundreds of marine species are adversely affected by plastic bags who's debris makes its way into their ecosystem and is ingested. Sea turtles get the most press as they often ingest plastic bags that resemble jelly fish and die. However, sea turtles are not the only sea animal impacted negatively by plastic bags. In some parts of the ocean, particles from plastic bags outnumber plankton by a ration of 6 to 1.

What about recycling?

Recycling plastic bags is, unfortunately, not economically viable. The cost to recycle 1 ton of plastic bag is roughly $4,000. The result? A batch of recycled plastic that can be sold on the commodities market for $32. Given those numbers, it should be no surprise that less than 2% of plastic bags are recycled.

In fact, a growing number of plastic bags are being shipped to countries with less stringent environmental laws where they are incinerated. Needless to say, burning tons of plastic bags is not good for the atmosphere that is subjected to millions of harmful chemicals.

Additionally, simply producing plastic bags consumes a precious, non-renewable resource (petroleum). The world literally uses hundreds of billions of plastic bags every year, every single one of which released toxic chemicals to our environment and requires non-renewable resources to produce.

That's a lot of bags that aren't being recycled. That's a lot of bags being produced and a lot of bags that end up all over our planet.

The craziest part of this whole situation is that it's easy to fix. Simply stop using plastic bags! Reusable shopping bags are available in all kinds of sizes, colors, and designs. Many stores offer a credit for bringing your own bags and reusable bags themselves are sturdier and capable of carrying more items, meaning less hassle for you.

So, beyond all the 'hype' surrounding reusable shopping bags, remember that it's a trend that's worth following. It saves money. It's more practical. It helps preserve our planet for future generations and helps sea animals survive. Regardless of your reasons, reusable shopping bags are a great idea.