Are reusable bags that are made/shipped from China really just missing the point of using reusable bags?

Question

ok, so tonight I was at wal-mart and was going to buy some reusable grocery bags, then I thought I better see where these bags were made, b/c wal-mart loves China, sure enough, made in China. Question #1: Do any of these grocery stores have reusable bags that are made in the USA? answer choices: Albertson's, Ralph's, Von's, Whole Food, Trader Joe's? If you don't know the answer to this part then don't answer, but do give opinions/answers to the next part.

Second part, doesn't buying reusable grocery bags that are shipped from China, resulting in massive amounts of pollution being released in transit via gasoline use really just defeat the purpose? I mean, if you are using reusable grocery bags to help the environment, protect marine life/birds/animals, and to negate the petroleum that is used to make plastic bags, then isn't shipping the bags from China missing the point?

If Wal-Mart (and other retailers) are worried about the environment (vs. making money off the bags, and saving money by buying less plastic bags) then why wouldn't they be buying/shipping the bags from local (meaning US) companies?

Just so everyone knows I think reusable bags are great and really want to start using them, but I'm having a hard time getting past the fact that the bags are made in China and shipped to the US resulting in probably more pollution and evironmental damage than we'd be comfortable with. (Don't even get me started on the American job loss aspect). Thanks for your answers in advance.

Answer 1

You hit on a very big concern. Yes the reusable bags made in China are less eco-friendly than something locally made.  BUT any re-usable bag is more green than any disposable (well most of the time) since the transport and production waste is a one-time affair, whereas with disposable the process is repeated over and over and over again + the waste/landfill/recycling factor.  Even with re-usable bags made in the U.S. chances are high the same transport was required at some point in the process - most of the cotton used in canvas manufacturing is grown overseas these days and non-cotton bags generally contain a plastic/synthetic/petroleum based product.