Energy Conservation Project Results

The results are in.  After some field work and some number crunching, I now have some data to answer the question, how much oil could a save annually by using cloth grocery bags instead of plastic grocery bags?  To be very honest I was surprised at how little oil is actually used.  At an individual level the results are not staggering, but as more people are added to the equation, the impact on oil resources definitely begins to take its toll.  Here are links to my spread sheet and powerpoint presentation.

The reason that I wanted to look into this issue is because it seems like it is such a simple way to reduce energy waste.  While I was traveling through Europe a few years ago, that was one things that really stuck out to me.  No one used plastic bags when they shopped.  Everyone carried their own cloth bags with them.  I felt like that was one thing I could bring home with me that would easily be introduced into my life.  While I am not perfect, I have been able to make some changes in that area. 

As with most research, this project brought more questions and problems to answer.  Although the oil numbers were not jaw dropping, that amount of bags that are thrown away was.  That effect that plastic bags have on the environment was probably the most important thing that I learned throughout this project.  The animals that are affected by plastic bags being blown all over is a real concern.  With only 2-3% of plastic bags being recycled, the number of bags in our landfills and floating around the world is sickening.  By using a cloth bag, I can not only save oil, but I can also protect our environment as well.