31 replies to this topic

[Tom Servo]

So, I was just at the grocery store, and for a moment I wished the grocery store would just get rid of all their plastic bags and force people to buy canvas ones. Then I sorta felt like a fascist. Seriously, though, canvas bags are a buck. I hate seeing all these people wasting plastic.

[Ares7]

I know what you mean, I keep one in the house and just re-use it, it's really handy and stops me from using countless plastic bags. It doesn't cost much plus when you think about it, it will save you money in the long term as most people are charging for plastic bags now but you only have to pay once for a canvas bag.

[Germs]

I don't understand why people would choose plastic bags over a canvas one, they're cheap considering how long they will last you, far stronger than plastic, which stops embarrassing incidents with plastic bags splitting and leaving your shopping all over the floor.

[Tom Servo]

Germs, on 02 November 2011 - 03:53 AM, said:

I don't understand why people would choose plastic bags over a canvas one, they're cheap considering how long they will last you, far stronger than plastic, which stops embarrassing incidents with plastic bags splitting and leaving your shopping all over the floor.

Exactly. I've had the same two canvas bags for at least two years or longer, and I used to have to walk 2 miles with them every week.

[Mon-Jes]

Germs, on 02 November 2011 - 03:53 AM, said:

I don't understand why people would choose plastic bags over a canvas one, they're cheap considering how long they will last you, far stronger than plastic, which stops embarrassing incidents with plastic bags splitting and leaving your shopping all over the floor.

Cleaning up after dogs. Using the bags as garbage bags for the bathroom. Maybe they reuse the bags themselves at home. Maybe they usually use canvas bags and they forgot theirs but don't want a seventh canvas bag at home, so they get plastic instead of another canvas bag. Maybe they put the plastic bags in the bag recycling bins (we have those in CA).

[Guardian]

I don't like getting plastic either but typically when I'm out and decide to grab some groceries on the way home they're not in my car, usually because my wife decided to do something else with them. The plastics I do get I keep all of them and use them mostly to clean up after my dogs or for bathroom trash bags. I do drop them off to the recycling spots when I get a large collection. Most places I go though I just tell them I don't need a bag if I can carry the goods.

[Alli]

Guardian, on 04 November 2011 - 08:50 PM, said:

I don't like getting plastic either but typically when I'm out and decide to grab some groceries on the way home they're not in my car, usually because my wife decided to do something else with them. The plastics I do get I keep all of them and use them mostly to clean up after my dogs or for bathroom trash bags. I do drop them off to the recycling spots when I get a large collection. Most places I go though I just tell them I don't need a bag if I can carry the goods.

I think this is the main reason I sometimes don't use my canvas bag- because I don't carry it on me at all times and end up stopping at the grocery on the way home from somewhere. I don't have a car, so I can't just keep them in the car, either. To have them every single time, I'd need to carry them on my person at all times or go home first, then go back out to the grocery or market. Sometimes that isn't feasible.

[Karim Jessa]

Initially, when I first began using reusable shopping bags, I would only take them with me to the grocery store. The other stores at the time still mostly gave plastic bags free of charge. As more and more stores began charging for plastic bags, I found myself getting caught without a bag and having to pay for one. But paying for a plastic bag was the ultimate outrage for me. I would quarrel with my wife if I caught her paying for one.

Now, it's been almost four years that I haven't paid a cent for a plastic bag. I never leave home without a reusable canvas bag. Because I don't drive, and so am always using public transit, I have to carry a bag with me all the time. Many times I'll leave home and as I'm walking to the bus stop I'll get the feeling I'm forgetting something. Then I'll realize my hands are empty -- I've forgotten my canvas bags.

In this way canvas bags have now become a part of my life. I keep my favorite ones separate from the others that my family uses. I like my bags to be in decent condition, and clean. Some of the bags I see people using makes me wonder how they can bear to put their groceries in them. All you have to do is toss them in the washing machine with the rest of your laundry.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

I've been using reusable bags for years, long before it became "fashionable". More than once, I've had
cashiers trying to either scan the bag (charge me for it), or they stuff it into their plastic bag.

Most places have caught on now. Plain canvas bags can be bought at most of the craft store
chains; and I like to embellish them with my own sayings.
(I am the 99% is a recent addition)
Now most stores do have recycling bins at their front door if you have plastic bags from previous purchases;
so we don't have to feel as guilty if you do get a bag or two.
Ireland passed a few cents tax on plastic bags years ago. We should too. Reduce our
oil consumption for one, but also, the bags "float" in the breeze and are killing sea birds and turtles.

[sammilynn]

We have canvas bags, and sometimes we get plastic ones, but that's only if we forget to bring the canvas ones with us into the store. lol

I would rather not waste all of the plastic either, we re use our plastic bags as well.

[mariaandrea]

I use my canvas bags 3/4 of the time I go to the store - and I have several collected over the years - but I deliberately get the plastic bags 1/4 of the time. Why? Because I'm poor. I do not buy plastic garbage bags. I use the grocery store bags. I do not buy sandwich bags or freezer bags or ziplock bags or saran/plastic wrap. I use the plastic grocery store bags and re-use them. It saves me money and they get re-used and my plastic use and disposal is about the same as people who rail against the bags but buy lots of other plastic items.

[sammilynn]

mariaandrea, on 02 December 2011 - 08:01 PM, said:

I use my canvas bags 3/4 of the time I go to the store - and I have several collected over the years - but I deliberately get the plastic bags 1/4 of the time. Why? Because I'm poor. I do not buy plastic garbage bags. I use the grocery store bags. I do not buy sandwich bags or freezer bags or ziplock bags or saran/plastic wrap. I use the plastic grocery store bags and re-use them. It saves me money and they get re-used and my plastic use and disposal is about the same as people who rail against the bags but buy lots of other plastic items.

That is true, the plastic bags are not the only way plastic is making it into landfills and in places it shouldn't be. It's used to package just about EVERYTHING... so if you're one of those people that freaks out at others for still using plastic shopping bags for what ever reason, think about all that plastic you just bought when you went grocery shopping.

[zararina]

I also try my best to always bring with me my own shopping bags so that no need for a plastic bag to be used on my items. Since plastic bags are still majority used here by department stores and groceries. But I would admit that I forgot bringing my own shopping bag so no option but to have plastic bags. But those bags are not just wasted after being used to carry groceries. I use them as garbage plastic bags and so no need to buy those black garbage bags.

[yoder]

Ya, we have a collection of reusable shopping bags but we still have plastic bags that get used for cleaning cat litter and as garbage bags for our smaller trash cans.

We found a trash can at Target a few weeks ago that has handles to hold the plastic bag without folding over the sides.  Very nice.

[Pushhyarag2000]

Reusable bags were so natural part of living with the previous generation. Why, even as a kid or young boy, I remember taking a few with us out for all shopping. I still have the cotton or flax woven bags that I keep tucked in either in my office bag [either lap top or another pouch] and have one handy if I were to shop while returning home.

One realization that not all discoveries are for the ultimate benefit of mankind is the discovery of plastic. Embraced & proliferated as a boon earlier on, it has gradually proved it can be a curse when all of us accumulated non biodegradable plastic mountains on this planet: unless we got concerned & acted fast.

[MakingCents]

I too use both.  My rule of thumb is, if it fits in my hands I use no bags, then I probably use the re-usable bags half the time.   But when we come home we put them in 2 piles.  One's with holes, torn handles, or ones that held meat get taken immediately back to the store recycling box.   The other pile goes under our sink.  We use it to line our bathroom trashcans, and to carry stuff with us places.  Sometimes we use it for miniature trash bags, like when we are cleaning our cars out, we use one of those instead of wasting a whoel big trash bag.  If we end up with too many we take more back to the recylcing center.  

I use canvas bags a lot, but the plastic bags come in handy too.  

I also ALWAYS put meat in the plastic bags, don't want anything leaking and then growing in my canvas bags.

[anEgrahm]

We have about ten canvas bags alone at our house, and when my grandma, who lives with me, goes shopping, she often just brings three and we end up using those. We shop numerous times throughout the week, not just all at once, and it works quite well. Of course, our local supermarket also sell canvas bags for a single dollar, but I've never seen someone actually go and pick one up. If there was some promotion I'd sure some people would switch over but it seems that a lot of people will need a lot of persuasion..

[kat74]

People like taking the easy way out, plastic bags are easy to manufacture and also very light and not cumbersome. We only think of today but not what today will do to tomorrow. These plastic bags are such a menace in my country they make our towns,cities and just about every where look dirty.

[brihooter]

My friend is currently making me some canvas bags to use for the groceries!  I can't wait to not have to use the plastic bags.  They make the towns look dirty because people just toss them and then they get put into the landfills and fly around.  I see this too often here.

[Sandra Piddock]

In Germany, they have been selling calico bags in supermarkets and other stores for years, and they are strong and washable. I still have at least half a dozen, and they're about 15 years old now. I keep one folded up in my handbag all the time, so I have one with me for unexpected purchases. They're now selling them in Spain. Canvas bags are also available in the UK, but they're still quite expensive - like a lot of other things in the UK.