A new report from the University of Arizona reminds us that like everything else, those reusable green shopping bags we’re all so fond of might be teeming with bacteria.
The university tested 84 bags carried by shoppers in Tucson, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. It found that more than half of these were contaminated with potentially harmful bacteria, including 12% with e.coli.
But don’t let that discourage you from going green, says the National Resources Defense Council. We should simply remember to wash our bags from time to time to keep the bugs at bay. So many reusable bags are being made of machine washable cotton and other durable fibers, so that’s pretty easy advice to follow.
It’s also worth being aware of the power of cross contamination. You’ll need to take more care of bags carrying meat, poultry, and fish than those filled with sealed bottles and cans.
Just make sure you use eco-friendly detergent when cleaning your bags to really go green!
