Comments on: More reasons to purge disposable plastic bags and try reusable bags

By: Alice

Alice — Sat, 13 Feb 2010 22:21:53 +0000

I’m not sure if it works for cat poop, but for those of you with dogs, google “dog poop digester”.

We don’t throw dog poop in the trash anymore- our can smells much better, and the digester works great.

By: Elaine

Elaine — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 14:46:02 +0000

Over the last 2-3 years I’ve acquired the nickname of “The Crazy Bag Lady” at my neighborhood grocery. I own nearly a dozen cloth shopping bags and have been very diligent about using them. Because plastic bags aren’t accepted at our recycling center (though you can return them at the store, but whoever remembers to do that?), they annoy me.

We had gotten ourselves pared down to just a few bags per week, which we used in our wastebaskets. And then guess what came into our lives? A kitty! An indoor kitty, whose box needs to be scooped out daily. Soon, we discovered that it was necessary to leave the cloth bags in the car and hope for plastic. Plastic bags are the only thing that works for feline sanitation. So (sigh) we’re back to plastic while we attempt to train Precious to use the toilet. Just kidding…

By: FekketCantenel

FekketCantenel — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 19:50:13 +0000

More than a year later, I finally make it back to this page to rejoin the conversation.

“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_.

By: catmom

catmom — Sat, 14 Feb 2009 05:11:02 +0000

Just like Christine, I too have gotten free totes over the years. Glad that I can put them to use for grocery shopping! They definitely hold more than the plastic bags.

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.

By: Katie

Katie — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 16:09:14 +0000

I love my reusable shopping bags because I can use them as luggage when I take the bus across the city to see my parents and join in with their laundry. I couldn’t do the same thing with plastic bags for fear of looking like a tramp, but the good canvas ones are getting really fashionable around the university campus!! Also I only really shop at Tesco and Lidl. Tesco have a loyalty card and you get 1 point (worth 1 penny) for every bag you reuse. My flat mates don’t get the reusing of bags so we have bales of them cluttering up the kitchen, hanging of the door handle.
I <3 my reusable bags

By: ailaG

ailaG — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 14:06:35 +0000

I have a big backpack in my car, and when shopping I use 1-2 bags – for things that might open under pressure. The rest goes straight back to the cart after check out – which saves some time on bagging it, too. (we usually have to do the bagging ourselves and I’m slow at that)

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)

By: Peregrin

Peregrin — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 15:11:31 +0000

I don’t know if anyone will see this comment, but here’s what we do.

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….

By: Bucky M

Bucky M — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:59:25 +0000

… and let’s not forget that life cycle studies have shown that manufacturing a disposable paper or biodegradable plastic bag takes more energy and generates more air and water pollution than manufacturing a regular plastic bag.

By: Bucky M

Bucky M — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 17:55:07 +0000

1. Whether bioplastic or paper, biodegradable bags are still disposable and are contaminants in the recycling of regular shopping bags. Biodegradable bags are a feel-good knee-jerk response, but they are NOT a real solution.
2. San Francisco’s much-touted bag plastic bag ban is a public relations sham. It only applies to grocery stores and pharmacies, and only ones of a certain minimum size, and then only if the bag has a logo printed on it. The vast majority of retailers are not affected.

By: Reuse This Bag

Reuse This Bag — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 15:37:51 +0000

Wow, excellent suggestions in the comments about finding biodegradable bags at the pet store — I was wondering about that myself in regards to my poor cat. That’s really about the only thing plastic bags have going for them, so it’s great to know there are other options even there…

By: Boston Charlie

Boston Charlie — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 21:16:29 +0000

Kind of like Ikea not listing max wattage on lamp info tags, but suggesting some low wattage fluorescent replacement as “suitable for use”. Or like Ikea actually still supplying plastic bags public despite claims to the contrary.

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!

By: Andreas - in Denmark

Andreas - in Denmark — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 00:39:18 +0000

Here the shops, as stated above, do charge for simple polyeth. bags, but the thing is that they’re THICK – really thick, often with good handles, and they’re really good for reuse. In fact, most of mine (I have a stash in the cupboard) have had dozens of trips the the supermarket.

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

By: Christine

Christine — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 03:41:45 +0000

I bring canvas bags (that I got free from various promotional things throughout my life…) mainly because they’re easier for me to carry. What fits into one canvas bag takes, oh, anywhere from 3-5 plastic ones, and that’s my small canvas bag. So, essentially I can carry one over each arm and up into my apartment. I’m not perfect by any means, but anyone who thinks that using plastic is somehow better is lying to themself. I understand the pet poo concerns…that’s something that we’ve got to come up with a better idea about (like the bags made from corn or whatever…)

By: The Chatty Housewife

The Chatty Housewife — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 02:18:34 +0000

Ikea still uses plastic bags in WA, they just charge you 5 cents and donate it to a forest saving charity if you choose to use them. I am sure it helps. They also sell various types and sizes of reusable bags.

By: lee

lee — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:34:57 +0000

am all for reusable bags, have a couple of envirosax and more of the local grocers’ bags. i know there must be an option out there for small trash liners – but i haven’t gotten around to seeking them out and converting. So every once in a while i take the free bags from the grocery. but we’re pretty good at keeping them at bay – i even sometimes run out.