Just because you can print an ad on a dry cleaning bag doesn’t mean you should. If you ask me, it’s irresponsible of a printer to advertise printing on dry cleaning bags. I’m not naming the printer because I’m sure they’re not evil, just not particularly conscious of what’s going on in the world. And that’s plenty of reason not to do business with them.
For consumers, going green and refusing the bag is the better strategy. For the dry cleaning industry, not forcing consumers to take bags, and certainly not putting one around every item is the greener way to go.
Here’s an environmentally friendly, much more profitable option because hangers don’t get thrown out after one use. EcoHangers are made with vegetable dies and are almost 100% post consumer content. Yes, they come with ads, but at least they help replace the 100% recyclable and help replace 3.5 billion wire hangers that end up in US landfills each year.
Plastic dry cleaning bags are more than just an environmental hazard, they’re dangerous to children and pets, who can be smothered in them. Environmental Outrage has suggestions for steps dry cleaners should be taking:
1. AT LEAST have a plastic bag recycling center in a prominent place in your store.
Posted by B.L. Ochman
Greensleeves, “The Green Dry Cleaner” of New York & Long Island offers a better way: Not only do we use EcoHangers, we have found a supplier of BioDegradable plastic bags for our dry cleaning OR we also offer ConvertaBags, a laundry bag that turns over and becomes a garment bag. It is reusable, better than plastic and better looking than plastic.
Greensleeves Garment Care: http://TheGreenDryCleaner.com
Green Living site maintained by Greensleeves:
http://TheGreenWayBlog.com