“FekketCantenel – you still shop at Wal-Mart?! No wonder you think plastic bags are ok.”

I haven’t been confronted with such stuck-up superiority since someone called me a “poor, white trash b****” a few weeks ago (the ‘white trash’ part isn’t true). I work for near minimum wage to support two adults; I shop at Walmart and I like it. (Aldi’s is another option, but that place gives me the creeps.)

“Do you really only use plastic bags once a week? I doubt your family makes only one [large] purchase a week.”

Believe it. My parents (and I, when I was living with them) lived thirty miles from the nearest grocery store, and would therefore make one big trip a week.

After reading quite a bit of literature about how frequent grocery trips can cause you to overspend, I’ve taken a page from my parents’ book and only go grocery shopping on Saturday nights (when the store isn’t crowded). I buy much less than my parents (my family is two, now, not four), but still relish the simplicity of it.

“With so many being available for as little as a dollar each, I don’t think the argument of them being too expensive can be used.”

To clarify, I made my input after research on Amazon, which yielded bags as cheap as $7. This was before Walmart started selling canvas bags of comparable quality for 50¢. When they did, I bought four, which can hold my entire weekly grocery trip. I’ve since forgotten them _every time we’ve gone grocery-shopping_, because they’re unessential unitaskers. What a waste of two dollars!

“Instead of finding reasons why NOT to do it, why not figure out a way to do something positive.”

Here’s the thing: I wouldn’t give a nickel for the environment. I’ve got cheaper and more urgent things to worry about. Reusing items is fun and can save money, and so I do that. But I can’t afford to go along for the ride with you Planeteers. Good for you guys, dedicating your valuable time and abundant budgets to what you consider a worthy cause, but understand that not everyone _can_ or _cares_.

For you plastic bag lovers, I’m not against them, matter of fact I use mine as litter bags for my car. I keep half a dozen on hand, the rest I take to the grocery store for recycling.

This is both environmental and more comfortable than carrying bags or scheduling delivery.

(and in my case, lets me get all the groceries up the 74 stairs in one trip)

1. Use canvas bags for hauling groceries.
2. Use mesh lingerie bags for bagging produce.
3. Put cat waste into a diaper pail lined with a plastic trash bag (keeps the odor contained, plus you don’t have to empty it as often).

Now, if I could only remember to take the canvas bags into the store with me when I shop….

So – I say “Sweet! Yet another reason to skip the whole Whole Foods guilt trip shopping experience.” Trader Joe’s for me. Paper bags without a side of Guilt. But only for a few goodies at TJ. Give me my plastic at Kroger’s!

with regard to the above statements about reusing the plastic bags for garbage disposal, well, here a regular garbage bag is really thin, you know, since it’s disposable, and hence the environmental footprint of sending one of those off to the garbage burner isn’t nearly as high as chucking out a big hefty shopping bag.

For larger stuff, like carrying my laundry to the ‘mat, I use the fabbo blue IKEA shopping bags. We have at least ten here, and they’re in frequent use. Also good for taking my newspapers to the recycling pod.

As for above posters claiming that paper and cardboard is “more recyclable” than canvas bags or plastic, well… nah, don’t even want to go there

Anyway, we have a cat and we use doggie poop bags that the city provides to clean up his poop. Yep, free plastic bags from a little dispenser in the park. They do this in the US too. I suppose we would buy them at the pet store if they weren’t available. I certainly wouldn’t complain about having to buy poop bags if I had to — nobody made me own a cat, so it’s my job to figure out how to responsibly take care of its waste.

We recycle about 85% of what we take in (and I’m phasing out companies that don’t make recyclable products), and the stores are required to accept packing from the products they sell (ie – styrofoam, cardboard, etc – for example Ikea takes back everything including batteries and lightbulbs) It makes for a bit more work on my end, including more legwork to take things to the recycling drop-off points, but to complain is just about LAZINESS. We have to be responsible consumers, so if I’m not willing to be responsible then I shouldn’t consume.

Buy bags, stash them everywhere, and use them. Not really all that difficult.

Do you not have paper recycling in your city?

Do you really only use plastic bags once a week? I doubt your family makes only one [large] purchase a week. Most people make several through out the week, which is why bringing your own bag makes sense.

If bringing one reuseable bag with you can eliminate 300-700 plastic bags a year, then why not give it a shot? With so many being available for as little as a dollar a piece, I don’t think the argument of them being too expensive can be used.

Instead of finding reasons why NOT to do it, why not figure out a way to do something positive.

Many people here have mentioned all of the other options people have for pet waste [bread bags, etc.] if you just open your eyes and think about it for a minute.