Living Green

What's the big deal about having an organic or recyled cotton (or hemp) tote bag?

As ReusableBags .com reports, it's actually quite a big deal.

They referrence the EPA saying, "The Environmental Protection Agency considers seven of the top 15 pesticides used on cotton in the United States as "possible," "likely," "probable," or "known" human carcinogens."

They also say, "In the US, it takes about 1/3 of a pound of pesticides and herbicides to grow enough conventional cotton for just one T-shirt."

Vashra, a recent commenter on a post I wrote a while back about Cloth Diapers vs. Disposable Diapers, disagrees with such statistics.

Nevertheless, check out these 2 great options that meet Diane's criteria.

Recycled Cotton Totes by Hero Bags:

One great choice for Diane is Hero Bags' Medium Reycled Cotton Canvas Tote.

The bag's features include:

• 100% Recycled Cotton Canvas Material
• Long handles and flat bottom
• 11" wide X 13" tall X 4" deep with 25" cotton webbing handles (long enough for use over the shoulder)
• Spot clean or hand wash cold / line dry
• Quality American made

You can pick this bag up from HeroBags.com for a cool $14.95.

Another great Hero Bags tote is the Hero Bags' Musette Messenger Tote, pictured at the top of the page.

This bag's features include: 

• 100% Recycled Cotton Canvas Material
• Silk screened hero graphics on both sides
• One long strap for over the shoulder wear
• Bag lays flat with velcro closure at top
• 13"W X 14"H, 48" cotton webbed strap
• Quality American made

This bag is a little more expensive (but scores a ton more cool points in my book), and will set you back $19.95.

Hero Bags at Wholesale Prices:
Since the folks at Hero Bags are so caring and stuff, non-profit orders (like Diane's) over 50 units qualify for wholesale prices. Contact Hero Bags for additional information.

$9.99 Organic Cotton Tote Made in The USA:

All this talk about Hero Bags, I bet you think I forgot that I promised you a $9.99 Organic Cotton, US made reusable tote.

But I didn't. How could I ever forget you?

GreenLAGirl at BlogHer.com may think that you have to chose either organic cotton OR made in the USA (if you want an affordable bag at least), but this reusable canvas bag from Amoeba Music debunks that myth.

Let me pause to say that with exception to this Think Green bag from Amoeba, GreenLAGirl is 100% correct and you should hit the link to check out some great US made OR organic cotton bags! 

Ironically, I found this organic cotton, made in the US tote on GreenLAGirl.com! It's dated about 8 months prior to her abovementioned article at BlogHer.com, but hey we've all contradicted ourselves now and then.

Unfortnately I don't have any of the dimmensions or specifics to this bag from Amoeba Music, but the fact that it's 1)made from organic cotton, 2)made in the USA, and 3)$9.99 should be enough, shouldn't it?

Need Even More Options?

TheGoodHuman.com has some more wonderful ideas of where you can get reusable organic or recycled cotton totes. Check it out.

ReusableBags.com also has a great section of inexpensive reusable bags, with many of them being recycled or organic cotton and hemp.

Have you ever found organic cotton and US made reusable bags? How could you get your company or school to invest in the environment by supplying it's employees or students with such wonderfully made and inexpensive reusable totes?

Related Articles:

1. Grab a $.99 Reusable Bag from Publix
2. My 4 Favorite $.99 Reusable Canvas Bags
3. The ONLY $.99 Over Shoulder Canvas Tote