4. Reusable Shopping Bags (Polypropylene or Cotton)
Reusable shopping bags are touted as a simple swap to reduce plastic waste, but their environmental footprint is surprisingly hefty. Polypropylene and especially cotton bags require vast amounts of water, energy, and other resources to produce. According to The New York Times, these bags must be used hundreds of times to truly offset their impacts. Unfortunately, most people don’t reuse them nearly enough, turning a well-meaning habit into a potential environmental pitfall.