Jute is better than both
- There is a better option than paper/plastic AND reusable bags. Did you know that most reusable bags found in stores, the so-called "green bags" are, in fact, are either plastic themselves, or made from 100% non-woven polypropylene (i.e. made from oil!) To be truly eco-friendly, reusable bags need to be renewable, biodegradable and from a sustainable resource, such as Jute.
- —Guest John Cooper
I use reusable bags and plastic bags
- I am a checker in a grocery store and have noticed a large number of people switching. I have plenty of reusable bags, but when I get off work, I don't always run to get them if I just want to grab a few things. I do reuse the plastic bags for things such as cat box cleaning, small garbage can liners, when packing to put wet or dirty clothes in and always recycle at the store, what I don't use. When bagging groceries, I try not to double bags, but the plastic bags we get are so thin, they tear super easy so I often don't have a choice. Plus, fresh , drippy meat should not be mixed in with fresh produce or other ready to eat foods. Yuck. Can you say "cross contamination"?
- —Guest Kerri
I use both
- I am a checker in a grocery store and have noticed a large number of people switching. I have plenty of reusable bags, but when I get off work, I don't always run to get them if I just want to grab a few things. I do reuse the plastic bags for things such as cat box cleaning, small garbage can liners, when packing to put wet or dirty clothes in and always recycle at the store what I don't use. When bagging groceries, I try not to double bags, but the plastic bags we get are so thin, they tear super easy so I often don't have a choice. Plus, fresh , drippy meat should not be mixed in with fresh produce or other ready to eat foods. Yuck. Can you say "cross contamination"?
- —Guest Kerri
Pattern for reusable bags
- I am a grass-roots organizer and I have encouraged multiple organizations to sew recyclable bags and give them away. I'd love to have a pattern that's easy to sew! email me at patriciakogrady@yahoo.com
- —patogrady
Reusable bags in China
- Now, in China, we all use the reusable bags or paper bags.In the supermarket or groery store, if u wanna use the reusable bags or degradable poly plastic bag，we have to pay for it.
- —Guest Clark
Charge for plastic bags
- I use reusable bags I bought from different stores and they usually give a 5 or 10 cent credit for them when used. But I think it would be just as fair for them to charge for plastic bags. That might encourage more people to switch.
- —Guest Guest Patrice
Plastic Garbage Bags?
- I think it's great that Toronto now charges $.05 for a bag at every store, (grocery, etc.), as it really makes people think twice about whether or not they need the bag(s), but my question is this. Now that I don't get any-(or nearly as many)-plastic bags everytime I go to the grocery store, what am I supposed to use for garbage bags in my home? (I mean for whatever can't be recycled or put outside loose.) I used to use my shopping bags for my garbage, like many people did. I now use store-bought boxes of rolled garbage bags. Fortunately, when I moved into an apt. a couple of apt.'s ago, there was a huge box of these store-bought small white "glad" bags, or whatever the brand is, left behind by the previous tennant and we held onto them even though we never used them. So now we use them and there is enough for a few years I think! But now all we've done is trade store shopping bags for these, I mean in terms of what goes into the landfills. Is this any better? Does it really reduce?
- —LindsayL.
http://www.goecostore.co.uk/recycled-bag
- I prefer reusable bags :) everyone should use them :) they are great for the environment
- —Guest Recycled Bags
Buy reusable bags
- I keep 4 or 5 reusable bags in my car at all times, for trips to the store.
- —Guest Kyle
What about biodegradable plastic?
- I prefer reusable bags as it seems a waste to use anything else. I wonder, however, why the companies dishing out plastic shopping bags aren't been required by law (or at least by their customers) to use plant-based biodegradable plastics? There are great plastic shopping bags commercially available, made from corn starch, for instance. Most people are not switching away from plastic bags in a hurry. 1 million per minute being used? Lovely. Now if they were all made from highly biodegradable plant based materials, that would at least provide the (perceived) convenience of disposable bags, to those who don't wish to bring their own bags, and it may well help the environmental issue at the same time. What's more... I notice here in the USA (I am from NZ, visiting) that double-bagging is the norm. I don't even get asked. I had that experience in MA, PA, DC, MA, and now CA. So HALF the amount of paper used could be reduced effortlessly!!
- —Guest Jonathan
We all need to do our share.
- I use the recyclables 90% of the time. Hate the plastic bags! And why don't the grocery stores educate their employees. Unless I watch them,they put items in plastic bags,then put those in my recyclable.
- —Guest marilynn
reduce plastic
- My apartment get very cluttered with plastic bags. Reusuable bags reduce this and save our precious resources. FYI I bought a "variety pack" of different bags for different uses online.
- —Guest Andre
Great Bags- Washable and foldable
- It took me a while to get used to carrying the bags. What helped me was carrying around compact polyester bags, which I not only use for groceries but for all my purchases and for travel. GO GREEN!
- —Guest ana
In emergency what to do?
- Yes, it is always good to carry a reusable, washable and longer lasting bag. But practically, it is difficult to carry one everywhere. In an emergency, what is the best thing to do?
- —Guest mihir banerji
Why to blame plastic bags
- It is a well written article. However, may I ask all of you, why we litter everything, which we don't require? Is it due to our habit? Can we not improve our habit and educate others.
- —Guest Mihir