130 replies to this topic

[Ecodisaster]

mommymumbles, on 23 September 2011 - 05:36 PM, said:

Haven't some cities imposed bans on plastic bags at grocery stores? Maybe I am dreaming, but I thought I heard that before. For those that cannot afford to buy recyclable bags, does your grocery store offer paper bags as an alternative to the plastic?

You are completely right, I have heard the same thing, but it takes some time until it comes into effect. They usually give the states one year or so, or the county, before the law is actually implemented. We will start seeing more of this, eventually, until all plastic bags have dissappeared.
Most of the stores I go to, only offer plastic anyway.

[Germs]

I've been using reusable bags, or 'bags for life' for a while now, its an easy change to make and in the long run it really makes a big difference.

Its surprising that it can be so hurtful towards the environment, but be so simple to fix, and yet the majority of people still use the harmful plastic bags.

[Liv]

mariaandrea, on 30 October 2011 - 12:59 PM, said:

What a simple and brilliant idea. I think I'm going to contact the supermarkets that have stores around here and ask if they would consider doing something like that. They make and sell reusable bags for $1 each, which is good, but they aren't all that durable and certainly won't last forever - in fact, the handles on some of my bags are broken - so taking an old bag in and getting a new one would be awesome and certainly build good will with customers.

wow! I just assumed this would be common in America too. All the UK's major supermarkets do "A Bag for Life", it is a good idea and the bags are strong too. Mine usually last around 12-months and I have no trouble getting them replaced.

[Mon-Jes]

I don't know of U.S. markets that replace bags for free when they wear out.

Most markets now have reusable bags for sale, but these are often made of vinyl or plastic and are hard to wash regularly. You have to pay more for cotton or canvas bags.

One option I found was at a Japanese discount store (Daiso--they have locations outside of Japan). They had small polyester bags that rolled up into a tiny ball. They were flexible enough so that you could probably handwash them pretty easily.

[Usty]

There's no excuse to not use a cloth bag. You can recycle an old t-shirt, into a shopping bag. And sewing machines aren't complicated at all. It's just that plastic bags are so convenient.Why bring your own, when you can, most of the time, get them free of charge at the checkout? If more places charged for plastic bags, then I think more people would bring their own cloth shopping bags to avoid the extra charge.

[Karim Jessa]

I've been using reuseable shopping bags for quite a few years now. The problem is that we still need plastic bags for the garbage. The usual size of plastic grocery bags fits perfectly the small bin that we have indoors. And it's convenient to simply pick up the bag when it's full and we need to throw out the garbage.

I've seen neighbors taking their garbage bins to the main dumpster in our townhouse complex, and emptying them there. I contemplated doing the same, but decided against it. When the garbage is still indoors, overnight for example, I can simply tie a knot in the plastic bag to keep in the smell. With just the bin, even with a lid, it's not that efficient in locking in the smell.

And then there's the chore of washing the bin daily. With the plastic bags, which I actually put about three layers, I just pick up the full bag and replace it with another. I put three layers in case of leakage from the garbage.

Due to this requirement, and the need for plastic bags on rainy days, we still have a large bin full of empty plastic bags. But I definitely use less plastic bags now than previously.

I've noticed some of the plastic bags now have written on them that they're degradable. But it doesn't say "bio" degradable. What's the difference? Does that mean they're safe for the environment?

[carol4]

Recyling has become a big business for sure.  I have to admit to using plastic bags as I use them for my cats.  I don't know of any other way to take care of their litter than plastic recycled bags.  Well, at least they are getting a second usage.

[DizeeDee]

I too am on a fixed income but I have found that if I purchase one reusable bag every, say 3rd, shopping trip, I am able to collect reusable bags to eventually have enuff for a full shopping trip. They can often be purchased for just $1 so I give up 1 item for the week i purchase a reusable bag. The trick is to remember to take them when I go shopping! ;o)~

[dugluss]

Here in the UK it now cost's 0.05p per plastic carrier bag when you go and do any sort of shopping. This I suppose has it's good side for the environment as people now tend to re-use plastic carrier bags a lot more than they used to but it is quite a bit of hassle having to remember a carrier bag each time you are out and about. Some days I go out with the intention of not going shopping for anything but you can bet that I will pop into a convenience store and pick up a few items and then realise I do not have a bag on me - another 5p for the shop then! The profit from the sales of the bags is supposed to go to environmental charities but I sometimes think is this really the case. I also see many people now just buying carrier bags each time they go shopping rather than bringing their own. I don't think charging for these bags has solved the problem. It may reduce the amount of plastic waste marginally but is this really going to have a great impact on our environment when you compare it to industrial plastic waste etc...........?

[Shortpoet-GTD]

dugluss, on 21 November 2011 - 09:14 AM, said:

Here in the UK it now cost's 0.05p per plastic carrier bag when you go and do any sort of shopping.  

YAY!

[DizeeDee]

dugluss, on 21 November 2011 - 09:14 AM, said:

Here in the UK it now cost's 0.05p per plastic carrier bag when you go and do any sort of shopping.

This a good thing!! The store do have to pay for those bags, so we consumers should too!

dugluss, on 21 November 2011 - 09:14 AM, said:

I don't think charging for these bags has solved the problem. It may reduce the amount of plastic waste marginally but is this really going to have a great impact on our environment when you compare it to industrial plastic waste etc...........?

Every little bit helps, regardless of how small the effort may seem. One less plastic bag can make a difference!

[kat74]

One way of helping is carrying your own packaging when you go to the market. most of these plastic bags comes from markets so if we control the amount of plastic bags one bring home, one will be taking care of the environment.

There are other methods of carrying your goods from the market like using baskets which are made from sisal. Sisal is friendly to the environment and the use of it does not course any harm to both you and the surrounding we live. We should stop thinking about convenience and start thinking safety and future.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

"A "plastic soup" of waste floating in the Pacific Ocean is growing at an alarming rate and now covers an area twice
the size of the continental United States, scientists have said.

100 million tons of flotsam are circulating in the region.

Mr Moore, the heir to a family fortune from the oil industry, subsequently sold his business interests and
became an environmental activist. He warned yesterday that unless consumers cut back on their use of
disposable plastics, the plastic stew would double in size over the next decade.

Historically, rubbish that ends up in oceanic gyres has biodegraded. But modern plastics are so durable that objects
half-a-century old have been found in the north Pacific dump.

Every little piece of plastic manufactured in the past 50 years that made it into the ocean is still out there somewhere.
Plastic is believed to constitute 90 per cent of all rubbish floating in the oceans."
http://www.independe...pan-778016.html

http://geography.abo...rashislands.htm

[MakingCents]

I have a friend, and her grandmother found a unique way to reuse plastic grocery bags.  she cuts them up long ways, then weaves them together.  Then she takes the woven piece and knits with it.  She makes some very cool tote bags that way!

[jacobnomi]

We reuse the plastic bags but would be happier if they were gone. It is a hard choice though. More paper bags mean fewer trees. Reusable canvas bags are obviously the best idea but are not always feasible. We buy lots of fresh fruit and vegetables and you can't really just pile the stuff in your grocery cart and dump it all out in front of the cashier.

[Shortpoet-GTD]

"Back in 2002, the Irish government passed a tax on plastic bags. Use of the bags that molder in landfills, catch in trees and refuse to break down and disappear dropped by 94 percent within weeks, according to the New York Times.

It may have been the steep tax--33 cents per bag--or the fact that such plastic totes were not manufactured in Ireland
and therefore did not have a strong political constituency that allowed the ban to succeed on the Emerald Isle.
But the rest of the world uses at least 42 billion plastic bags a month, perhaps the Irish can show the way to break that oil-related addiction."
http://www.thedailyg...c-bags-99020301

[Respectable Collectibles]

I use the reusable bags when I can. I purchase them when they are on special at stores such as Walgreens. Sometimes they offer three for $1 which is very cheap considering many places sell them for one dollar per bag. They are great for transporting things back and forth when my kids go to visit friends or just need to carry something extra into school that they don't have room in their backpacks for. When I go to stores and forget my bags I will ask for paper instead of plastic. I find these are great to reuse when cleaning my cats litter box or for trash can liners for the small vanity trash cans. If everyone would reduce their use of plastic bags we could reduce pollution and petroleum consumption.

[MakingCents]

Shortpoet-GTD, on 29 November 2011 - 03:24 PM, said:

"Back in 2002, the Irish government passed a tax on plastic bags. Use of the bags that molder in landfills, catch in trees and refuse to break down and disappear dropped by 94 percent within weeks, according to the New York Times.

It may have been the steep tax--33 cents per bag--or the fact that such plastic totes were not manufactured in Ireland
and therefore did not have a strong political constituency that allowed the ban to succeed on the Emerald Isle.
But the rest of the world uses at least 42 billion plastic bags a month, perhaps the Irish can show the way to break that oil-related addiction."
http://www.thedailyg...c-bags-99020301

That's a really interesting concept.  Charging people MORE for using the plastic bags.  That gives you the option if you need to.  For fruit/produce, or if you forgot your reusable bags, but would discourage people from using them just out of laziness.

[Chris S]

To add to this topic, places like Wal-Mart and other local stores sell "eco-friendly" reusable bags made of fabric instead of plastic.
It's time for us to reduce our Carbon footprint! :)

[fancyfingers]

MakingCents, on 28 November 2011 - 08:42 PM, said:

I have a friend, and her grandmother found a unique way to reuse plastic grocery bags.  she cuts them up long ways, then weaves them together.  Then she takes the woven piece and knits with it.  She makes some very cool tote bags that way!

I do something similar. I cut the bags into strips, loop them together and single crochet them into bags. They are strong and so useful. I am not a quick crocheter, so it does take a while for me to complete a bag, but I do it while I am watching TV or on long car rides! They last a very long time. When they start to tear, I put a towel over them and run an iron on them to fuse the plastic together. That makes it last even longer.