Did you know this about plastic bags?

mommy~to~a~bunch wrote: http://www.reusablebags.com/facts.php?id=4



I've been using resusable bags for groceries for about 6 months or so. They are great, hold a LOT, and fold up for easy storage. I don't have any from that website, but I want some of their insulated ones for frozen foods since it's an hour's drive to the store. I also need some bags for produce too.

The reusable bags are cheap too, I think I paid about $1.50 a piece. I think it's worth it to help keep this place cleaner.

PrairieMom replied: I have been using re-useables for about that long too. I got some really big nice ones from Toys R us of all places. They were $1.00 a piece and have held up really well. I love them. My grocery store actually gives me a $.5 credit for every bag I bring in, even if they don't use it.

My2Beauties replied: That is absurd, I've seen the re-usable bags on sale at Meijer's here lately, wow, i think I may need to start investing in some.

boyohboyohboy replied: yes, i keep thinking about this too, we use our right now as waste can bags once we get them from the store, so i at least felt like we were recycling them...

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
Wow, that's cool you get a credit! We don't get anything but a bunch of weird looks . But I've seen more & more people bringing their own, so YAY !

grandma replied: I've been using cloth grocery bags for a long time and they are way stronger than the crap they try to give you at the store.

momofone replied: Our store has a recycle bin for plastic bags. I just brought back 20 bags.

jcc64 replied: Yeah, plastic bags are EVIL! Just think how we could reduce our dependence on foreign oil if we got rid of them. A completely alternatively fueled vehicle may be years off, but there's no reason whatsoever that we have to use all those plastic bags.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:

gr33n3y3z replied:
heck yeah
Plus all the zip loc bags and plastic wrap and plastic containers



I started to use the bags they sell at the check out reuseable

CantWait replied: I admit, I have 10 reusable bags at home that I am always forgetting when I go to the grocery store. Although I do reuse our plastic bags it is something I need and want to get out of the habit of getting.

Calimama replied: My mom got me some awesome reusable bags for Christmas!

My3LilMonkeys replied: Around here you can get reusable bags at just about every grocery store, and they're only $1 each. I think it's a good idea, I just haven't done it yet.

Maddie&EthansMom replied: I can't believe you get weird looks, Mollie. Around here bringing reusable bags is the thing to do. Every grocery store sells them, even our Super Target has them. If you go to Ikea, they charge YOU 5 or 10 cents for every plastic bag they have to use. But, their reusable bags are really cheap (that's where we got ours).

I have to admit that my husband is a lot more green than I am. I'm trying, I just get lazy and go for what's easiest.

coasterqueen replied: I admit I don't use reusable bags at this point. I've wanted to and almost did several times, but I'm afraid I'll forget them. I KNOW I will forget them. I have room in the van to keep things like that, but unfortunately it seems like every time I need something I "store" in there, it got taken out for some reason and not put back. I guess it doesn't hurt to try and see what happens.

I do re-use my plastic bags, though.

Our farmer does give us our meat in those re-usuable bags for cold/hot stuff. Each time we bring back the bags he credits us a $1 a piece (I think it's a $1, maybe $1.50). We are TERRIBLE about remembering to bring them back. I think one time we finally remembered and brought in 15 bags. I felt bad because the farmer then credited us back $15 all back at one. Good for us, I'm sure not good for him.

A&A'smommy replied: hmmm I have NEVER seen reusable bags... I will have to look for them. TFS

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
Hmmm...must be a regional thing or something. I know our small local store has started selling them for $2.50 a piece, so that's something.

Karen - there are times I've forgotten them at home . I try to remember to have one of the kids run them back out to the vehicle, otherwise I forget. Then I feel REALLY guilty about getting the plastic ones.

PrairieMom replied: I get strange looks when I use mine too. Esp at Walmart. They get really confused there. I just tell them I will bag my own stuff and don't worry about it.

WHen I am done getting my groceries I always fold the bags up, put them all into just one bag then put them back in my car so they are there for me when I need them again.

My favorite thing about them is that they are big, so they can fit more stuff into them which = less trips out to the car when I am bringing groceries in.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
I stuff mine in one when I'm done too. I try to keep them near the door if they're left in the house.

I bag my own stuff too.

PrairieMom replied: Hey Molly, I am surprised you don't make your own. I was gonna ask you if you had a pattern I could use.

My3LilMonkeys replied:
It would actually be a really simple pattern to make - just 3 rectangles (long side, short side, bottom) and a handle. You could just draw it out on newspaper or any big sheets of paper - there's another use for that roll of brown paper Mollie has!

In my area at least, the bags at the store would actually be cheaper than buying a heavy enough material to make strong bags.

PrairieMom replied:
yeah, but it occured to me today that there may be a market for them, and you know me, perhaps I could make some to sell at a tiny profit. I will be going to the fabric store Thursday.

Brias3 replied: You know, it seems ridiculous to use plastic bags, but I just haven't made the transition yet. I've seen them for sale at the store though.

I typically request paper (which is probably worse- wasting trees now too!) because I use it for our recycling (our recycling needs to be packaged to very specific rules) but I am jotting it down on my list right now to pick up the reusables next time!

TFS and for the reminder to finally do this

redchief replied: I'm all for reusable bags. We have some here. I'm also all for trying to green up - I know I'm not the "greenest" person here by far. But there is one question that I have after looking at both our reusable bags and the "green" website that was posted in this thread.

Where were your bags manufactured?

Because if they weren't made domestically (and I'm not judging because I found ours were made in China), then how green are we really being? Sometimes our good intentions are still stymied by the global economy.

Nina J replied: I've been using re-usable bags for about 2 years. I actually live close to a plastic-bag free town. You can't get plastic bags in any of the shops. The government of my country is aiming to have us be a plastic bag free nation in a couple of years

We first got our green bags over 2 years ago, they are still the same price (about $2) and now they're so popular you can get good designs, cartoon characters like Dora and the Simpsons, football teams and some movies too. Or just the regular green coloured green bags (we call them green bags). We also have the cooler bags, they cost about $5 for one of those but are great for cold groceries. Do you guys have these kinds of ones, and the different designs, where you are?

We call them green bags over here, heres a website:

http://www.greenbag.info/

You can see some of the different designs. Are they like yours? We just buy them at the supermarket. edit: The website says you can get them in North America.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
Yeah, why didn't I think of that? I will have to see what I can find for fabric next time I'm in town.

NinaJ - those are similar to the ones I have.

mommy~to~a~bunch replied:
You're welcome! Glad I could help!

Hillbilly Housewife replied: We've been using them for a while now... they sella t 99 cents at our grocery stores, and are made of something like 85% recycled plastics. I ripped the tag off so I can't check.

mysweetpeasWil&Wes replied: I use those canvas bags, but admit to often forgetting them. I try and just put them together in one bag and have them in my trunk. I can't stand when I go to Walmart and they seriously bag a BOX of something! As if a box needs to have an extra bag around it. Now I'm talking BIG boxed stuff that can easily just be tossed in the car, like a box of caprisuns or diapers! I always get a little angry and say "I don't NEED a bag for that!". They always look at me strange too Tara. Or when they put one little thing in one bag and then DOUBLE bag it....Grrr. I can't stand that place.

Anyhow, good post Mollie. I'm really trying to stay more green for 08!

mommy~to~a~bunch replied: Oh, that bugs me too Rae!! And I'm glad I could give everyone a little reminder .

Cece00 replied: I've thought about buying some for a little while now. They dont really sell them in stores here so I am going to have to look.

The problem is that I will need a LOT of them. I shop for 6 ppl once every 2 weeks, I usually have an overflowing cart.

But I do reuse my bags & I also return some to the stores in their "recycle" bin.

Although, I admit...I probably will keep using the plastic bags for meat. I can not STAND the thought of any blood or meat "juices" getting on ANYTHING, I am really anal about that.

Boo&BugsMom replied:
Same here. Ours are used for cleaning out the cat litter boxes and for trash can liners in the small garbage pails. I also wrap Aiden's stinky poopy diapers up in them to cut down on the odor. I also used them to send my daycare kid's stuff home in them. They have many uses other than what they are intended for.

I do have a few reusable bags. I generally use them when I go to Aldi's.