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If 10,000 Biters use canvas totes instead of plastic grocery bags, we'll keep about 9 million bags from ending up in landfills every year.

COCKTAIL FACT

In 2002, Ireland introduced a 15-cent levy on plastic bags, resulting in a 95% decrease in their use.

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home ›   tip library ›   Reusable Grocery Bags

Question: Paper or plastic?

The Bite

Answer: Neither. Shopping bags create an insane amount of waste for something that's often in our lives for fewer than 5 minutes (store to car, car to house). Next time you grocery shop, BYOB (bring your own bag).

The Benefits

  • Save oil and/or trees. In the US, about 12 million barrels of oil and 14 million trees go to producing plastic and paper bags each year.
  • Reusing makes cents. Stores like Albertsons and Wild Oats offer a 5-penny discount if you bring your own.
  • Be a role model. Other shoppers'll watch and learn.
  • Make sure plastic bags don't harm sea creatures. They're one of the 12 most commonly found items in coastal cleanups.

Personally Speaking

Jen's been bringing her own since early on, when toting a canvas bag to the store wasn't so popular - garnering her a bunch of weird looks. She still gets the weird looks, but for various other reasons.

Wanna Try?

If you drive, keep these handy in your car for unexpected grocery store stops:
  • Mimi Shopper - oh-so-Euro-hip ($45).
  • b. happybags - these are Jen's fave because they are sassy, sturdy, and extra wide - perfect for a six pack of organic beer and chips ($20).
  • Blue Lotus - handbag-happy Sara likes these best, especially because 10% of their profits go to protecting sea turtles harmed by the use of the bags ($5-15).
  • "BYOB" Reusable Shopping Bag - made from hemp ($10).
  • "Plastic Bags Blow" Activist Kit - spread the green word ($3).
  • If you can't get around using plastic bags, tie them into knots before you toss them in the recycle bin. That way they won't balloon up into the air and end up as litter.

Sep 07,2006


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Dooood, I have been answering “neither” for years

Rarely do I get high on my green horse... but I seriously thought myself so clever when as a teenager shopping with my mom I would answer "neither" to the baggers and then whip out my duffle bag.

 

However, I am FAR from eco perfect.  To prove that, I took this quiz, called My FootPrint, which tells you just how many planets we would need if everyone on the planet lived like you do.  As I walked down this path to eco-enlightment via a computer tool, I became excited to see my results -- I guess getting a little high on my green horse.  I don’t eat meat; I recycle; I drive a 25 mpg Jetta  only when horseback won’t get me there; and of course - I don’t choose between paper or plastic because I bring my own bag to the supermarket.  I welcomed the opportunity to assess my ecological footprint.   

 

The results are displayed like this:  "if everyone lived like you, we would need __ planets." My score, in large thanks to air travel, is 3.9 planets!  I found a shallow ‘victory’ for at least coming in below the average ecological footprint in the US:  6 planets. 

 

Beyond this pointing to the fact that we can't smooth out the world's inequalities by making the poor much richer (because if everybody lived like the average American it really would take 6 planets to meet all our needs), it told me that we all have to find a big bang for the buck way to travel in class… green class.  So, now I am committed to offsetting my air travel emissions.  Emission offsetting means that you purchase a corresponding number of trees or clean energy credits to neutralize your carbon contribution from your flight.  But that is a different tip.

 

Off to order reusable, sassy shopping bags for Ideal Bite... let me know if you want to preorder one... they are going to rock. - Jen


Biter Comments...
Also, bringing your own bag to the farmer's market and places like Costco is a great idea. I have a stash in the house and car. If I run out, I do opt for paper because it at least can be recycled, whereas the plastic can't and generally isn't. You can buy things that are made out of reused plastic bags to at least help it along.
This tree-hugger likes to think that she is pretty green when it comes to household recycling. I actually use one of the cotton grocery bags as a purse! But when I go grocery shopping, I must fill at least a dozen or more bags, and since most of the cotton/canvas bags I've seen aren't as large as the commercial plastic bags, we're talking about a pretty hefty investment for bags, especially if someone wants to switch all at once. I suggest getting out the sewing machine, for those of us lucky enough to have learned to sew. Use an existing bag to make a pattern from, or modify one, and MAKE YOUR OWN!!! They're really easy. Just watch for denim or canvas to come on sale. Often it's wider than regular 44/45" fabric, so you can get more out of a yard. Now THAT'S GREEN!!!
What about using plastic grocery bags for garbage bags? They're being reused and plastic bags would be used anyway, so what's the ecological impact of that?
But what do you do with your household garbage? I try to bring my own bag but have been using the grocery bags for my trash. Ideas? I did not see this as another tip. thanks,
In addition to the sources listed in the tip, I love reusablebags.com. Their ACME Workhorse bag, in particular, is SO handy. I keep it folded up in its neat little pocket in my purse, and I never have to remember to grab one as I'm heading out the door. I can just whip it out, and it's shaped just like a plastic grocery bag but stronger, so I can haul a heavy bag of veggies from the CSA or a bag of cat food and cat litter from the pet store home with no problem.
Me too! I'm curious about household garbage. If I choose plastic, I re-use it to throw out my trash. Is there a place online(or another tip) on what kind of garbage bags to use in your home that is environmentally friendly?
Garbage has to go somewhere, and reusing your plastic grocery bags is better than tossing them. For the Biters interested in eco-friendlier garbage bags, may we suggest: * http://www.seventhgeneration.com/our_products/supplies.php They've got bags that are made from 65% or 100% recycled plastic. * http://www.biobags.com has biodegradable garbage bags - but note: nothing breaks down in a landfill!
I bought some reuseable bags a month or so ago and use them for my grocery shopping each week. The ones I got are at www.chicobag.com. They are great! I bought a 5 pack and I can usually fit enough food for the 4 of us in them. It makes me feel good to come home without all of those extra bags. I don't have to worry about how to get rid of them. I wish more people would realize how wasteful all those plastic bags are.
I use biodegrable bags for my garbage and cat litter, after all it is biodegrable cat litter, as far as what happens in the landfill I don't know but it has got to be better than plastic. Remember to not use plastic bags even when you go to the drug store or clothes shopping.
The whole plastic bag thing drives me crazy..... I found out where I live the bags you take back to the store are not recycled. The bags are made from recycled plastic and are not used again... So yes, the answer is neither. Bring your own bag... My thought is we have to do something about this. Get people to understand they can bring their own bags to the store for shopping... We need to unite. There needs to be a movement... I will be posting this on my website... How about the rest of you? Do you have a place to spread the word? always Karen with www.recyclewithkbkathome.com
For a sturdy and chic cotton canvas bag, check wolavers.com . They're on sale during September- $12.95 includes shipping, and proceeds benefit Organic Farmers Research Foundation (ofrf.org) They are pretty big- they hold a bushel of apples! They are made in the USA, out of organic Foxfibre fabric, the naturally colored cotton. And they have a colorful Wolaver's organic ales logo printed on them.
Thrift stores and yard sales are also great sources for reusable shopping bags. And don't forget the free totes that sometimes come from work, school, conferences, pledge drives, etc. An addition to the great sew-your-own comment above: How about knitting a shopping bag? If you know how to knit, or you know someone who's willing to knit for you, all it takes is a little time and some cotton, linen or hemp yarn. Here's a pattern (there are many more on the Web): http://tiajudy.com/stringbag.htm
Any Albertson's I've been to (in MT and WA) does NOT offer the discount on bringing your own bag, so maybe it's just in certain states. However (and I don't know if this is a load of crap or not, but...), they do have benches outside of the stores that say they were made from the recycled plastic bags people bring back to the store. Roseauer's natural food store, Huckleberry's, offers a 5 cent discount if you use your own bag or reuse one of their paper bags, so that's something.
And, well, here's another idea if you have a large stash of plastic bags. Reuse them ... donate to a charity thrift store, or even make your own rugs. http://www.homesteadweaver.com/plasticbagrugs.htm or
Whole Foods in Columbus, Ohio sells reusable grocery bags. The design changes every few months or by the season. They are durable and cost $1 each. I have been using the same four bags for over a year now. They also give you $.05 off per bag when you bring them in to use. It took me a few months to establish the habit of remembering to bring my bags every time but now I feel like a true Biter. I also use the 7th Gen. recycled plastic trash bags. Although it is next to impossible with 2 maybe 3 kids, we are trying for zero watse. We compost what we can and recycle most of our would be trash by paying attention to the materials / packaging that we buy with our food, etc. We still generate about a small kitchen-size bag of trash a week dispite all our efforts. Best of luck to you all!
I have used canvas bags since 1988 for all my shopping, and when people look at me funny I tell them that in Europe, if you do not bring your own bag you carry your stuff in your hands. I notice that when I shop I am usually the only one with her own bags. I keep trying to spread the word.
I love the Bite! Here's someone who reuses plastic bags by knitting them into shopping bags to replace plastic bags... at least I think that makes sense. The resulting bag is lightweight and strong. Check it out to see. She offers a pattern and a how-to. http://knitting.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://oma57.tripod.com/cleobag.html
For those who just can't commit to cloth -- too Hippie or too baglady -- or who just like the way paper stands up squarely for easier packing,try my tip: I double bag paper (gasp! - stay with me here) at my favorite grocery store. After unloading groceries at home, I fold the bags, put them in my trunk and reuse and reuse and reuse. for MONTHS! I use 8-10 bags for at least 4 months. Doubling makes the bags last longer and hold more becaseu they're stronger. Having my own bags ready also makes self-packing much faster in the grocery line, which I hapily affirm then other shoppers notice me using my "stash." When bags finally wear out, they go into our curbside recycling. (As a courtesy, I don't use bags with logos from one store wehn shopping at a competitor store.) >
> I have been using cloth bags for 15+ years. I keep them in my backpack > when I am not using them. That way they are always with me unless they > are in the wash. Unfortunately my children, who are in their 20's have > not followed my example. For some reason they think it isn't cool to use > cloth bags. So we still have lots of plastic bags around the house. > Occasionally I will gather them all up and take them to the store and put > them in the recycling bin. A lot of them still end up in the trash.
Why don't we put a levy on plastic bags like the Irish did (.15/per bag)?? I have used my own cloth bags for YEARS, ignoring whatever looks I get, but that levy sounds good to me!! I also use the plastic bags for my garbage, maybe once every two weeks; I get the bags at work or along the side of the road when I walk.
Re the websites you mentioned in the "paper or plastic?" Ideal Bite--> I noticed two websites/bags that were missing. One that was missing was the ACME Earth Tote™ Reusable Shopping Bag Set. I looked at the other websites you recommended and this is definitely the most economical. Buying one or two bags isn't enough and at 50 bucks a pop, how can you buy more?! If you are shopping for a family you need more -- I keep at least 4 bags in each car so I am always prepared. They also sell produce bags (as does Blue Lotus who did list). One HUGE selling point for me was that I really wanted a bag that stood up on it's own, like a paper bag. There are tons of canvas, cotton, or hemp reusuable shopping bags on the market but these ACME Earth Totes are the only ones I've found that stand up on their own. True, they are made of petroleum-based nylon but they are are so durable they are guaranteed by the manufacturer for life! I noticed you did mention other things on this website (reusablebags.com) but not the Acme Earth Totes and produce bags. Another great bag is made by the Cloth Bag Co. They sell a bag made of EcoSpun. The bag does not stand up by itself but it is made from 100% post-consumer recycled soda bottles!!! How cool is that?!?! The soda bottles are shredded, then they melt the chips and spin the result into a fiber which is then woven into cloth. These naturally white bags are machine washable with no shrinkage. They are extremely reasonably priced as well. I bought a few and am trying to figure out a way to make them stand up on their own. Willow Christensen
For years I also did what Graham wrote above - reuse doubled paper bags over and over again. They do last a long time! I kept about 8 in each car folded up so I was always ready to go to the store! I was not as considerate and just used whatever abgs I grabbed - competitor's or not. Someone told me that in Europe it is illegal to give away free bags - you have to buy them at the store or bring your own. Don't know if that's true but how great would that be if we did that here?!
Obviously if you're reading this you are into cloth over plastic sooo...you should check out the bumGenius diaper at cottonbabies.com. Cloth diapers are just not like they used to be! You can get them contoured so they don't have to be folded and with snaps or velcro so no pins! Seriously, check out all the different kinds! I have several more sites I shop at for cloth diapers. E:mail me (bxc@aol.com) if you're interested and I will give you the web addresses.
On the subject of not using plastic bags I would like to add that when going to someone's home to bring a covered dish I never use a bag...I use a basket with a handle. This works really well when it's a hot dish or heavy. I wrap it in a kitchen towel and wala. I feel like little red riding hood but it really is nice and a good way to use those baskets that sit around. When I take the dish out I put my car keys in the basket so I dont forget to take my "cute" basket home. I dont only use them for transporting food, it can be for anything. A few weeks ago I was going to my daughter's house to paint a mural on the wall, I carried my bottles of paint, my brushes and the rest of my supplies in my nice little handled basket!
A standard plastic grocery bag can be stuffed into an old film canister. I have bag-filled film containers stashed in my purse, coat pockets, glovebox, etc. for those times when I forget my cloth bags or don't feel like lugging them around with me.
I watched Martha Stewart today October 2, 2006 and was very happy to see her segment on living green. Good for Martha! By the way that is where I learned about your website. If more people who are in the limelight per se would speak out about this issue I believe more "regualar" people would "catch on" to the whole living green idea and start trying to make practical changes in their lives to improve the environment. I have just recently stopped using plastic bags and I am looking to purchase reusable totes. The information you have given is very helpful. Lots of ideas on where to get them and also how much they cost. Thanks. I also agree that we should take a hint from The Europeans! I was at Henry's the other day and I watched a bagger put 2-3 items (only) in each plastic bag he packed, as I stood there and watched I wanted to scream! I did call the store the next day, which was kind of scary I thought that they would think I was some kind of crazy person, and spoke with the manager. He was very nice and felt the same way I did. He assured me that he would speak to the baggers on shift during the time I was there and remind them that they should be filling the bags to capacity. I hope by calling I made a small difference.
I live in Germany, where plastic bags at the grocery store cost anywhere from 10-25 cents whenever you forget to bring your own. They are made from recycled plastic and can be reused many times. But what most people do here is bring a shopping basket along -- they are sturdier and hold more than canvas bags. We use them to bring our returnable bottles and jars back to the store before we shop!
I take the re-usable double bagging method a little further. I read this tip somewhere. Take your re-usedpaper grocery bag and fold it and flatten it back up. A few inches from the top, cut the bag crosswise and rounding off the edges. Now fit this bag into a re-used plastic shopping bag. These are great for grocery shopping!!!! Even the baggers like them when I bring them in. They are very sturdy and re-usable MANY times. They fold up neatly in your car This way you don't have the expense of buying a new bag. Because if you are like me and late getting on the green band wagon, you have bags already in your basement! Hope this helps.
i love the acme workhorse 1500 bags. they carry a lot of weight and are machine washable. http://www.reusablebags.com/store/acme-bags-workhorse-style-1500-p-1.html
A tip for anyone who feels that the cloth/ hemp shopping bags are too small: I used to walk to the grocery store with a backpack on. For big shopping trips, I'd take a big pack. Easy to put a lot of stuff in there (put the eggs and bread on top, of course) and easy to carry it home.
I called my local Walmart today to see if the bags taken back to the store are actually recycled. I got a semi answer of "they send them to a company but I don't know the name of it". I emailed the manager of the store to see if I can get a better answer. My only problem with using cloth bags is the price. In a normal shopping trip (which is 2 to 3 times a month) I can have 50 shopping bags or more. I can't afford to buy that many cloth bags nor will I waste gas by making more trips a month. Anyone have a better idea?
I used to work in a natural grocery store and I would always answer "neither" to people wondering which was the better choice. It surprised me how many people didn't know it was better to reuse bags, or at least hadn't thought of it. Tammi, I have had a lot of luck finding cheap reusable totes. I look for them everywhere, and when I find cheap ones, I buy a bunch of them. There are also a lot of cheaper options that aren't necessarily cotton. I've found recycled PET ones, hemp ones, etc. And they are often available as give-aways if you find yourself at a trade show or even a community event. Also try your local liquor store, they often need strong bags because they sell heavy stuff. Aaaaand, you might find that when you start using reusable totes, you will need way less than 50 because they are bigger, stronger and can hold a lot more groceries! Finally, you could always just reuse the plastic ones, especially if you get them from places like Whole Foods or Wild Oats where they make fairly heavy duty ones that are intended to be reused. Hope this helps!
For Angela who makes few trips to the store and brings home a lot...try using large cardboard boxes with hand holes cut into them. They are sturdy and reusable. When they wear out, recycle them. You can probably ask the grocery store clerk for some. They only break them down and recycle them (I hope) anyway, so they'll give them to you for free...nothing to buy.
Better yet, rather than purchase a tote bag, donate to an environmental organization. They frequently offer tote bags/backpacks/messenger bags with a donation. You get the bag, support a good cause, and the next time you donate, you can tell them to skip the "free" gift and have them use all of your donation for supporting the organization as you already have your nice grocery bag.
So how do I print this biter tip regarding reusing bags, so I can post it at my local Trader Joes? Each time I try to print a tip it just prints the outside border of the page and none of the printed article. Someone please help! Chris
i live in Shanghai and have made it my mission to do all i can to promote the use of tote bags. you would not believe the plastic bag waste here! my european friends swear by "Freitag" bags. they are expensive, but they are made of recycled tarps, and are super sturdy and just freaking cool! i opt for canvas totes from expos and whatnot that i have received for free. but i think a lot of u.s. grocery stores now sell cheap totes for less than $5. or, as suggested, make your own! easy to do, highly personalised, and just super cool! i love the idea of stashing plastic bags in film canisters! so good to see other people as irritated by plastic bags. PLASTIC BAGS BLOW!! :P keep on keeping green!
Please, don't tell me.... I have been religiously saving my plastic bags and bringing them back to the store's big barrel outside that says "Recycle bags here" for years. What happens to those bags? I thought they got turned into park benches and decks. After reading all the posts above I have a sick feeling I've been duped.
I like to use the Trader Joe's paper shopping bags because they work as garbage bags at home, eliminating the need to buy plastic garbage bags
Are there companies that accept non-recyclable plastic bags to use in furntiture, etc.? I checked patagonia and tried to google this but have not had good results. Thanks.
I've always wanted to use the cloth bags instead paper, but I haven't come up with a solution yet on how to sort my recycling for the city to pick up. They require it sorted and bagged for easier pick up (glass,plastic,paper, aluminum). I use my paper grocery store bags for this purpose. Anybody have a creative solution? Thanks
I sort my recycling with the plastic recycling bins that they provide, or with cardboard boxes that they recycle.
There is a grocery store by the name of Aldi. They are international. they sell their own reusable(unfortunatly plastic but nice and large) bags but most people reuse the boxes they have within the store. They are big boxes usually so you can find 100s of uses after that for the boxes.
I went to Whole Foods grocery store and I bought three canvas grocery bags for 99Cents apiece. They are so nicely made and are big. I am just sorry I only bought three as I needed six. There is no Whole foods grocery store nearby as I was on vacation but if there is one in your neighborhood look into them.
Please check out www.themissionwear.org and buy a reusuable grocery bag! The woman that makes these employs women in Denver, CO trying to get off the streets. The bags are wonderful--sturdy, reliable, and big. They are also made out of recycled denim and cotton.
quote: My only problem with using cloth bags is the price. In a normal shopping trip (which is 2 to 3 times a month) I can have 50 shopping bags or more. I can't afford to buy that many cloth bags nor will I waste gas by making more trips a month. Anyone have a better idea? -------- Buy a couple of bags per month that fit into your budget. Look around for the 99 cent bags or check local thrift and dollar stores for tote bags. Use them as you get them and eventually you'll have enought.
You can get some great reusable bags at www.Rejavanate.com. Not only do they eliminate the waste caused by plastic and paper bags but they are made from recycled burlap coffee bags, keeping tons of burlap waste out of our landfills AND the manufacturing process provides employment for individuals with developmental disabilities !!!! It’s a Win, Win, Win !!!
I was at toys r us today and brought in my own hemp bag. The cashier refused to let me use it and said i had to take there plastic bag. I told her no thanks I would rather use my own, and that I'm just tryng to do my part, "saving the planet thing". She told me ''Who cares about the planet the whole things just going to blow up anyway". I could not belive how stupid this girl was, so I told her fine give me the bag, she gave me the bag and i removed the items and put them it my bag and handed the plastic one back to her. She told me i had to leave here with the plastic bag or i couldnt buy the items, I freaked out and dummped the bag over the counter and said i no longer wanted to buy anything from this store. I then went and talked to the manager, it did no good he stared at me like i was crazy. I called the complaint line but Im sure that will go nowhere as well. Im never shopping at tous r us again.
Here's a great bag for the style-conscious, made here in San Francisco, where plastic bags (and Styrofoam to-go containers) are on their way out: My Own Bag
I am a teacher at a local school in San Diego. Our kids have responded really well to the use of reusable bags as a 'green fundraiser'. I admin, there a few different sites online and not one is really better than the other, at least for the bag I wanted. I ordered my first set from this site a few weeks back. I was impressed with how they looked. We had our school logo imprinted on two sides. http://www.reusethisbag.com/fundraising.asp - Talking to the people at this company, green fundraising using this type of bag is gaining popularity. It's nice to see how fast the movement toward going 'green' is progressing. I feel happy to be doing my part. I'm sure your readers are also doing theres.
I work at a natural foods store in Jackson, WY. We are looking to start a bag rental program for a customers to push the use of reusuable bags. I'm currently looking for an appropriate bag for the program that is cheap, but also eco-friendly. Does anybody have any suggestions?
If you have seen "Our synthetic sea", you would realize that plastic is much worse because of the long term effects it causes. Did you know that every piece of plastic ever made is still around? I put a photo of a bird on my blog. This bird fished out so many pieces of plastic from the ocean that it died. http://www.myownbag.com/blog/ I make reusable bags in San Francisco (micro business). I make them very strong and beautiful, so that people will want to use them for years. Each bag that you use saves thousands of plastic bags from entering the waste stream and eventually our water supplies. San Francisco has put a ban on plastic bags starting this November. All the large stores will need to carry compostible bags, but these bags are also made of petroleum. I'm concerned that if people begin using them and putting them in our composting system, it will eventually enter our food supply. The compost from San Francisco is sent to the farms near by. I don't want my food to be grown with all these chemicals. Please, please, do not use disposable bags. There are so many alternative. I make some (www.myownbag.com) and there are many other beautiful options from other designers.
Greendimes.com offers a great little bag that folds into a pouch on a keychain - so it is easy to carry with you everywhere. It is great for the mall or Target. The bags are $5.
I have about 10,000 plastic grocery bags and someone told me you can make fleece out of them. Does anyone know if this is true?
You can make cloth bags out of any material. some wear out faster. i make mine out of old sheets, tshirts, old fleece blankets, old nightgowns, flannel, broad cloth, ugly drapes. anything, old sweatshirts. knit them, crochet them. sew them. Takes a day sewing, takes longer if you knit or crochet slower. but its worth it. doesnt matter if its ugly, you are saving the world right??
to any of those that say it takes 50+ for shopping trips, I notice that cloth, even if they seem small, seem to pack in twice as much, i went into WINCO and got a cart full of groceries and got out with 8 cloth bags. and they werent big ones. just library size totes. normally that would be about 16ish plastic bags. and even if you just use one or two totes, its better than a few plastic. start small, its still saving the world a little at a time. youd be suprised how much they hold and how much easier they are to carry. they dont dig into your hands!
I think eventually, even here in the U.S., most stores will phase out the plastic bags. For them, it will be a financial choice as the cost of those "free" bags is a business expense they would be happy to get rid of. This website, www.sexyoldbag.com, has knit fabric bags for about $4 each that are shaped like a plastic bag, so they hang on the bag rack at the store and are easy for baggers to use. I've had baggers almost refuse to bag my groceries, until I show them how they work and they realize that they won't be any more effort for them. (I could comment on how wrong this is, just from a customer service standpoint; I am the customer, after all, and I thought I was always "right"...anyway...) The fabric bags can hold a lot more than a plastic bag, because they don't puncture easily like plastic or break if there's too much weight inside. As someone else suggested, you can easily use half or one-third the amount of fabric bags as you would normally use of the plastic bags.
Tricia mentioned above that she has 10,000 plastic bags, and wonders what they will be recycled into. I've read that some stores who claim to recycle plastic bags really just throw them away. So, before you go to the effort of taking in that many bags for recycling (where did they all come from, anyway?! Did you collect that many just from trips to the store? Or have you been picking up trash?) you probably want to make sure what will actually happen to them.
I have been using reusable bags for many years and find it very easy to do. I just keep a stash in my trunk and take them into the store with me. If I forget I still refuse the plastic bags and have the sacker just put my groceries into my cart and then I sack them when I get to my car. After having to do this a few times I don't forget much anymore. I have found a few really great places to get bags. There are many different brands available on ebay and there is a great site http://www.beginningstotebags.com . The bags are sturdy and large and cheap. I can fit most of my weeks groceries in 3 or 4 bags and I am talking lots of groceries. How can we stand to drive down the highway see all those plastic bags flying in the wind stuck on fences and then go to the store and go home with plastic bags. It just does not make any sense. It's really easy, honest.
I prefer to use biodegrable bags for my garbage and cat litter, after all it is biodegrable cat litter, as far as what happens in the landfill I don’t know but it has got to be better than plastic. Display Booths
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