Free Markets, Free People Environmentalists constantly chide us
about using plastic or paper grocery bags. “Wasteful” and “bad
for the environment” are only two of the criticisms leveled at
those of us who use plastic or paper. But new evidence is
emerging that the preferred alternative of the environmental
crowd – reusable grocery bags – may not the best or healthiest
choice for their family or the environment. In another instance
of the law of unintended consequences asserting itself, a
person’s attempt to “save the planet” may, in fact, sicken their
family and increase their “carbon footprint”. A recent study
found the reusable grocery bags used to carry groceries were
loaded with bacteria. Researchers found that people rarely if
ever wash their reusable bags. Consequently the tested bags had
large colonies of bacteria present. Tests of new plastic or
reusable bags found no bacteria present. Included in the
bacteria found in some of the used bags tested was the E. coli
bacteria (12%). Salmonealla was also