Each year, an estimated 500 billion to 1 trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide. That comes out to over 1 million per minute. Billions end up as litter each year.

And paper bags aren’t free of controversy: According to www.reusablebags.com, “In 1999, 14 million trees were cut to produce the 10 billion paper grocery bags used by Americans that year. Paper bag production delivers a global warming double-whammy: Forests (major absorbers of greenhouse gases) have to be cut down, and then the subsequent manufacturing of bags produces greenhouse gases.”