How many eco bags do you have? Are they really “eco-friendly”?
By: Yeonsoo Doh
Tags: Reusable, Environmental Impact, Plastic Pollution, Sustainability, Environmental Issues

How many eco bags do you have? Are they really “eco-friendly”?

Eco bag is a short form of eco-friendly bag and eco bags have been used to reduce the consumption of plastic bags. Since eco bags are made of natural fibres or synthetic fibres, they are used at least more than once.

It is widely known that a British fashion designer, Anya Hindmarch, first led the trend of using sustainable bags instead of plastic bags, by designing a white canvas “I’m NOT a plastic bag” in 2008 (Fox, 2020) [1]. The bag was used by famous celebrities and became a global sensation, as thousands of people lined up to get the bag in Asian countries such as Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan (Fox, 2020) [1].

Image of “I’m NOT a plastic bag” from the Guardian.

Since the early 2010s, many began to use eco bags in South Korea. Eco bags settled as a daily item, and the ban on using plastic bags at supermarkets, which began in January of 2019 (Regan & Kwon, 2018) [2], should have increased the use of eco bags even more.

In fact, own branded eco bags have been created by not only fashion brands, but also coffee shops, museums, galleries, public and private institutions, and department stores (Yim, 2019) [3]. The bags are either sold or offered to their customers as free gifts. Thus, it is no exaggeration to say that every individual in Korea has at least one eco bag by intention or not.

I also have more than three eco bags. I remember that I bought three, but the others were freebies. But there are people who “collect” pretty or unique eco bags, and they may think they are protecting the environment. But is this true? Are we helping the environment by purchasing more than one eco bag?

The answer is no. According to a study on the environmental impact of reusable bags, it is discovered that cotton-based eco bags should be used more than 7,100 times while organic cotton bags should be used more than 20,000 times in order for them to not have the same negative environmental impact as plastic bags (Yim, 2019) [3]. It is brutal, isn’t it?

Now, let’s think how many eco bags you have, and how long you used it. Don’t you feel guilty? Well, I do.

Along with eco bags, it is recommended to use reusable cups, so-called tumblers, for sustainability. But like eco bags, there are even more people who “stock in on” pretty or unique tumblers, and in the middle of this phenomenon, there is Starbucks.

Captured image from Starbucks Korea’s homepage.

Starbucks produces a wide range of merchandise, and tumblers are their representative goods. They release a new series of tumblers seasonally and in compliance with special holidays or events. The tumblers are made of glass, plastic, or ceramic. It will not be a problem at all if a person buys one tumbler and uses it continuously until it breaks.

However, it is quite easy to find people who considers collecting Starbucks tumblers as a hobby. These people do not use them, but they just appreciate the beauty of the tumblers they purchased. Are they aware of the negative impact of tumblers they purchased? Probably not.

According to a study, it is found that “a glass tumbler should be used at least 15 times; at least 17 times for a plastic tumbler; and at least 39 times for a ceramic tumbler” in order for them to have a positive impact on the environment (Yim, 2019) [3]. The numbers are not as brutal as that of eco bags. But it is still disturbing.

Ironically, it could be better using plastic bags or paper bags and disposable cups instead of eco bags and tumblers, if we are not going to use the reusable products thousands of times and dozens of times each. It is time to rethink about the effectiveness of reusable products.

Some argue that it is consumer’s right to purchase anything they want to spend money on. Some also argue that it is the company’s right to produce anything they want to make and sell. Moreover, it is insisted that there is supply because there is demand, or vice versa. These arguments are true to some extent since it is capitalist society. Nevertheless, it is the responsibility of consumers and producers that they should recognise environmental consciousness.

Recognising and having environmental consciousness in this context refers to thinking about the potential environmental impact when making and selling a product, and when purchasing a product. By examining the potential impact of a product that you make, sell, or purchase, undiscerning production as well as consumption would be reduced.

Due to COVID-19 and safety concerns involved, the consumption of plastics has increased since it is not allowed or not recommended to eat inside the restaurant and cafes. It has been almost a year since the first discovery of the novel coronavirus, yet the situation is not getting any better. I hear some news about vaccines, but nobody knows how effective they will be, when we will be able to be vaccinated, and when this whole thing will end.

Before more plastic waste is piled up on earth, the companies should not use eco bags or tumblers as their promotional freebies and should not produce surplus reusable products, and the consumers should consider once more before purchasing reusable products. One is enough for one person, and keep in mind that too much is as bad as too little.

References

[1] Fox, G. 2020, ‘Totes amaze: Anya Hindmarch on her ‘plastic bag’ and eco-fashion’, The Guardian, viewed 11 December 2020, <https://www.theguardian.com/global/2020/feb/16/anya-hindmarch-fashion-plastic-bag-bottletop-tote>.

[2] Regan, H. & Kwon, J. 2018, ‘South Korea bans single-use plastic bags from major supermarkets’, CNN, viewed 11 December 2020, <https://edition.cnn.com/2018/12/31/asia/south-korea-plastic-bag-ban-intl/index.html>.

[3] Yim, S.H. 2019, ‘Is collecting eco-friendly items really helping the environment?: In an effort to waste less, we may be doing more damage’, Korea JoongAng Daily, viewed 11 December 2020, <https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/2019/07/23/features/Is-collecting-ecofriendly-items-really-helping-the-environment-In-an-effort-to-waste-less-we-may-be-doing-more-damage/3065855.html>.