Plastic Bags

[monarch64]

Date: 6/10/2010 12:40:35 PM
Author: TooPatient

Date: 6/10/2010 12:34:34 PM
Author: monarch64

Date: 6/10/2010 12:26:16 PM
Author: lilyfoot
We reuse the plastic grocery bags, therefore, I don''t see a problem with it.

And no, I don''t pick up my dogs poop with them. ETA: We buy other bags specifically for the poop

monarch, your comment above as to contributing to the landfill with dog-poop bags comes across to me as you feeling that picking up your dogs poop is an ''option''? But I know I must be reading that wrong.

Oh H*LL NO it''s not an option! LOL

We use the plastic bags from the dispensers in the neighborhood. Kenny''s comment about paper bags for doody inspired my thought about not using plastic for that purpose anymore.

We used paper bags for awhile...

Until the Waste Management guys left a note stuck to our bin informing us that we weren''t allowed to do this and if they see it again they won''t collect from us that week.

Um...you could light them on fire and leave them on porches of neighbors you aren''t fond of?

 

[merilenda]

I still use plastic bags, but I always reuse them. Mostly as liners for smaller trashcans, but also to carry various things in (lunch, etc). And to pick up the occasional kitty poop left around the house when one of our cats is mad at us.

 

[princesss]

Date: 6/10/2010 11:42:05 AM
Author: NewEnglandLady
I still use plastic bags, somebody needs to keep the plastic bag industry in business. I still print my emails when needed for the same reason (I support the paper industry).

LOL!

We have cloth bags that we use about 75% of the time. The rest of the time we either get paper bags or use the plastic ones to scoop poop/clean out litter boxes.

 

[sunnyd]

I wish we could use them for cat litter! Our cats pee in 6lb clumps... they''d go right through the bag! LOL.

 

[iheartscience]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:08:01 PM
Author: sunnyd
I wish we could use them for cat litter! Our cats pee in 6lb clumps... they''d go right through the bag! LOL.

Ha, exactly! I don''t know how those bags would work for litter!

 

[merilenda]

Yeah, we have to use full-size trashbags for our cat litter.

 

[karpouzi]

I think most people use the store''s plastic bags because it''s more convenient to do so. I don''t see what''s hard to understand about that.

Really, if you eat meat or drink bottled water or soda or do any of a number of things that are much worse for the environment than using plastic bags, you give up your right to judge people for forgetting their reusables.

 

[Haven]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:08:01 PM
Author: sunnyd
I wish we could use them for cat litter! Our cats pee in 6lb clumps... they''d go right through the bag! LOL.

Hahaha!

 

[princesss]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:16:31 PM
Author: thing2of2

Date: 6/10/2010 1:08:01 PM
Author: sunnyd
I wish we could use them for cat litter! Our cats pee in 6lb clumps... they''d go right through the bag! LOL.

Ha, exactly! I don''t know how those bags would work for litter!

I have to double bag. Our trash collectors are very specific about how cat litter has to be handled, and you have to double bag no matter what.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:21:55 PM
Author: karpouzi
I think most people use the store''s plastic bags because it''s more convenient to do so. I don''t see what''s hard to understand about that.

Really, if you eat meat or drink bottled water or soda or do any of a number of things that are much worse for the environment than using plastic bags, you give up your right to judge people for forgetting their reusables.

Wait, did I miss something? I haven''t seen any judgment going on in this thread, and I didn''t start it with that intent. I''m just curious about who still uses plastic, why, and if people are carrying re-usables what their routine is so they have enough of them and don''t forget to use them.

 

[monarch64]

Well how timely--look what just popped up on my FB page!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127600685&sc=fb&cc=fp

 

[Tacori E-ring]

I mostly use cloth bags but will use plastic at Target. This is b/c we actually use plastic bags as trash can liners (bathroom) and to clean kitty litter. Target''s a stronger than my local super market''s plastic bags. Any extras get recycled.

 

[dragonfly411]

I carry reusable. I try to keep at least two in my car. I have actually seen more and more people using the reusable bags and it makes me really happy to see them.

 

[kama_s]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:21:55 PM
Author: karpouzi
I think most people use the store's plastic bags because it's more convenient to do so. I don't see what's hard to understand about that.

Really, if you eat meat or drink bottled water or soda or do any of a number of things that are much worse for the environment than using plastic bags, you give up your right to judge people for forgetting their reusables.

Are you for real? Well, then, let's just dump tonnes of PCPs and dioxins to our lakes and rivers. Oh, and nuclear fallout? Eh, who cares about radioactive contaminants. I mean, if you eat meat and drink coke, then it's just all just the same, isn't it?!

All it takes is everyone doing their little part, however miniscule. *I* don't see what's so hard in that.

 

[TooPatient]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:36:01 PM
Author: monarch64
Well how timely--look what just popped up on my FB page!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=127600685&sc=fb&cc=fp

Regulations like this make no sense to me.

Whole Foods used to use these wonderful plastic bags that were very sturdy and nice -- AND I am 99% sure were biodegradable (+ made of 100% recycled materials).

I used them for my kitchen & bathroom garbages, cat boxes, recycling, scooping after the dog, holding garden supplies....
Now I buy garbage bags for the kitchen and use them for cat boxes too. Also have to buy other things for gardening supplies and stuff.

So I went from never buying plastic bags to buying them regularly.

 

[kama_s]

Date: 6/10/2010 12:22:20 PM
Author: monarch64

Date: 6/10/2010 12:19:55 PM
Author: kama_s
I use re-usable bags 99% of the time. For everything, including groceries. Even when I go to the mall to shop - I never take their bags even if it''s paper. I also don''t tissue paper wrap my clothing. They''re all just such huge wastes and I just can''t justify it.

So what do you use instead of the store''s bags, Kama? Do they care if you bring in your own canvas/re-usable bags? Curious of whether you get strange looks or comments, I guess.

I just bring my big re-usable bag with me everywhere

Most don''t care what bag I use. I might be getting weird looks, but I guess I don''t notice or don''t care

I live in as big city though, so I think people would tend to be more flexible with crazy eccentricities.

A year ago our city introduced a 5 cent per bag rule for groceries. You''d be astonished how many people switched to re-usable to save that extra 15c on their grocery bill! I''ve been using my cloth bags for years now.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Kama....I''m calling B/S on you my dear. When you brought me those lovely treats from Canada (mmm aero bars and ketchup potato chips....) they were in *gasp* a plastic bag from the convenience store!!!

 

[kama_s]

Date: 6/10/2010 2:57:15 PM
Author: Hudson_Hawk
Kama....I'm calling B/S on you my dear. When you brought me those lovely treats from Canada (mmm aero bars and ketchup potato chips....) they were in *gasp* a plastic bag from the convenience store!!!

Ahahahahahha . They were indeed! I remember this because I obsessed about the bag ad nauseum! I didn't have anything to put them in and didn't have the opportunity to go down to a dollar store to buy a nicer bag. Poor hubby couldn't understand what the fuss was about so I decided what the heck!!!

ETA: the bag was not from the store I bought the goodies from! It was from my 1% reserve

 

[Indylady]

We use reusable bags; I think they''re easier to significantly easier carry because you can put them over your shoulder. If we don''t have one on hand, or don''t have enough, then we try to find paper bags or just carry larger items and place them in the backseat without a bag.

 

[tyty333]

I still use the plastic ones because we use them as liners in the kitchen can (yes, my DH emptys them about 3 times a day) so
they are getting reused. DH cant stand kitchen garbage being in the house very long. If it wasnt for my DH, I would
probably buy bigger/taller trashbags and use reusable for grocerys.

 

[waterlilly]

Date: 6/10/2010 1:21:55 PM
Author: karpouzi
I think most people use the store''s plastic bags because it''s more convenient to do so. I don''t see what''s hard to understand about that.


Really, if you eat meat or drink bottled water or soda or do any of a number of things that are much worse for the environment than using plastic bags, you give up your right to judge people for forgetting their reusables.

I mostly use the plastic bags, only because I can barely remember my purse when I leave the house never mind my shopping bags (which I''ve bought plenty of).

However, I think you are mistaken karpouzi, I believe those plastic shopping bags are a MAJOR environmental enemy. Not just in the resources it takes to make them, but the amount of litter they produce(ever driven by shopping centers that have "shopping bag" decorated trees?) the harm they cause to wildlife on land and at sea, and the amount of time it takes for them to break down. Something like over 100,000 deaths of sea turtles and other marine species are traced back to ingested plastic bags each year...

If there is ONE thing that people can do (I kick myself all the time for being so absent minded about it myself) it is to stop using those damned plastic bags.

Sorry folks, it does NOT matter that you reuse them for something else in your home - the end result is the same = landfills.

 

[lulu]

I use cloth and just put them right back in the car after I unload groceries. The ones they sell at the supermarket are useless. I use LL Bean boat bags-they hold a ton and are easy to carry even when they''re heavy.

 

[monarch64]

Date: 6/10/2010 6:13:55 PM
Author: waterlilly

Date: 6/10/2010 1:21:55 PM

Author: karpouzi

I think most people use the store''s plastic bags because it''s more convenient to do so. I don''t see what''s hard to understand about that.



Really, if you eat meat or drink bottled water or soda or do any of a number of things that are much worse for the environment than using plastic bags, you give up your right to judge people for forgetting their reusables.

I mostly use the plastic bags, only because I can barely remember my purse when I leave the house never mind my shopping bags (which I''ve bought plenty of).


However, I think you are mistaken karpouzi, I believe those plastic shopping bags are a MAJOR environmental enemy. Not just in the resources it takes to make them, but the amount of litter they produce(ever driven by shopping centers that have ''shopping bag'' decorated trees?) the harm they cause to wildlife on land and at sea, and the amount of time it takes for them to break down. Something like over 100,000 deaths of sea turtles and other marine species are traced back to ingested plastic bags each year...


If there is ONE thing that people can do (I kick myself all the time for being so absent minded about it myself) it is to stop using those damned plastic bags.


Sorry folks, it does NOT matter that you reuse them for something else in your home - the end result is the same = landfills.

WL--it is pretty tough to train yourself to remember the reusable bags for sure. That''s kind of what I''m going through right now and one of the reasons I started this thread today. SO is a HATER of the plastic bag, and he really likes to pack his own groceries just the way he wants them in as few reusable bags as possible which he says comes from living in large cities and having to deal with groceries and public trans. I have tried doing the reusable thing in the past with limited success and now I''m kind of being forced to get with the reusable program because he and I shop together a lot. I''ve learned a lot today about people''s experiences with this issue and I''m trying to get a more seamless ritual together as far as remembering to put them back in my car or bring them with me when I walk to the store, etc.

What I found pretty disturbing was reading about how the bags are somewhat biodegradable, or photodegradable (I think? Might have misread that)and that they break down into smaller pieces which are then ingested by the animals that people end up eating! Eek! That''s just crazy to me. Even if we''re still recycling the plastic bags (we''re also guilty of this, we re-use them as wastebasket liners and sometimes doggie doo bags, lunch bags, etc.)they still exist and they have to end up somewhere.

Everyone''s input has been great as usual here on PS. Deco once posted a thread about a designer reusable bag and I think it had "I''m not a plastic bag" emblazoned on it? I''ll try to dig it up; I wonder if those are still made.

 

[Amethyste]

I use the grocery bags all the time for my business and for cat''s Business

The grocery bags are perfect for small little garbage cans that I have around my apartment, and
i use them to freeze stuff in ( I freeze old coffee grounds and once frozen, I thaw it, re-ground it and use this as a fertilizer... it will make your plants go nuts!!! ) I usually have the re-usable grocery totes, so I think once a month I use their grocery bags - not that it amounts to much. But I like to use them for several different things...

 

[Amethyste]

Date: 6/10/2010 5:55:45 PM
Author: tyty333

(yes, my DH emptys them about 3 times a day)

Please Please Please....!!! Can my husband hang out with your husband?!!?
I am lucky if he does it once a week!!!!

 

[zoebartlett]

I use cloth bags when I remember to. I try not to use plastic bags that often but I do if I don''t have another option.

 

[bee*]

I hardly ever use plastic bags. Ireland brought in a plastic bag levy years ago and we have to pay 22cent per plastic bag so it would be too expensive to buy if you were doing a big shop. It seems to have worked really well over here and most people use cloth bags.

 

[Cehrabehra]

I was NOT a convert until I moved to Ireland. There they charged you for bags and NO ONE didn''t have their own bags. It became second nature rather quickly there and here in China it''s the same thing.

I think to answer your own question though - you said you were a RECENT convert... I imagine in your not too distant past you can find the answer as to why people haven''t done it yet.

 

[Cehrabehra]

Date: 6/10/2010 11:39:16 AM
Author: Tuckins1
I do not use cloth bags because I would need about 20 or so every time I shop. However, I do recycle all of my bags. I do not throw them away. Most grocery stores (around here anyways) have a bag recycling program.

I have at least that many lol More probably. I have a big insulated one for frozen stuff too... I think it''s kinda fun because I have some bags from ireland, some from the states, and some from here in china... I am forming a collection!

 

[rhbgirl24]

I used cloth bags 90% of the time, and the plastic ones I recycle.

I remember a few years back my FIL saw one of the grocery stores that have the bag recycling receptacles emptying them into the normal trash dumpster. Stuff like that really bothers me....