It’s Earth Day, so it’s time for a public service announcement. This is no “holier than thou,” tree-hugger BS — just a little something you can do to reduce waste. In particular, those plastic bags that end up tangled in tree branches or filling cow’s stomachs or littering the side of the highway or floating in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You can do whatever you want, of course, but it’s quite likely that more place are going to eventually adopt something like Washington DC’s tax on plastic shopping bags. Consider getting out ahead of the curve.
Sometime in February I decided to try using as few plastic bags as I could. I don’t know why I decided then, it just seemed like it was time. In my mind it sounded easy enough — after all, we’ve been using them for grocery shopping for more than a year. It wasn’t quite as effortless as I had imagined, but it wasn’t very difficult either. And it has worked, too. We only have a couple disposable bags left in the house for our recycling and cleaning up after the kitty.
So what have I learned?
- The flat bottom nylon fabric bags are where it’s at. They cost about $1. They’re really sturdy. You can put 20 pounds of whatnot in them, they won’t tip over in the trunk or on the counter, and you don’t have to worry about pulling off the handles. And I think they’re easier to fill than other kinds of reusable sacks.
- If the bags aren’t with you, they won’t do you any good. Keep at least one in each car. Getting them back into the car from the house. . . . oy!
- A family of two needs 3-4 bags to shop at the supermarket for 1-2 weeks.
- When you’re sending your groceries down the belt, try to group the things you want in the same bag. (For example, send all of the cold things together.)
- Cashiers/baggers are all pretty accustomed to reusable bags; but I find that you have to give the bags to them first thing, otherwise they default to plastic.
- If you’re going to multiple stores (other than the grocery store), you don’t need one bag for each store. I’ve found that I can usually get by with two or so: one for the store I’m visiting and one (or more) that I keep in the car and transfer the stuff I just bought into. This leaves me with an empty bag for the next store, and fewer half-empty bags when I get home.
Well, that’s probably enough more-or-less obvious ramblings about how to use a shopping bag. Now just go and do it.
I’ve been really happy since we made the same choice a couple years ago. Our 2-person family has had the same experience as you – 3-4 bags is generally enough for a grocery store trip, and our favorite for groceries are the flat bottom ones they sell at the store. I especially like ones with longer, shoulder height handles.
Other things I’ve found helpful:
- keeping at least 3-4 bags in each car trunk is essential; having more is good, because then even if you forget to bring the last used set back to the trunk, you have a couple bags there.
- I have a small size version of these bags that I put unwrapped produce in so I don’t have to use those little plastic bags in the store – I especially hate those because they are not particularly reusable.
- for non-grocery shopping – clothing and other stuff – I love this bag: http://www.containerstore.com/shop/travel/reusableBags?productId=10010948&mybuyscid=7078033970 – I have 2 or 3 and keep one in my purse at all times in case I need it. It packs up neat and small so this works well.
- those big reusable grocery bags are fantastic for packing clothes if you are going on a car-based trip where you don’t need real luggage.
These are excellent suggestions, Amy. Thanks!
I’m a fan of the heavy cotton bags because they can be tossed in the washer, and over time–we’ve been using cloth bags for about three years–the bags do get dirty. Also, I worry about the manufacture of bags with nylon or plastic in them, even if they’re made from recycled materials. Who knows? I haven’t done the research. Like Stephen Colbert, I’m speaking from my gut.
Have you seen the blog Fake Plastic Fish? It’s really eye-opening.
I haven’t seen a place that sells cotton bags with flat, rectangular bottoms, which is why we use nylon/plastic bags. Most of our reusable bags have removable plastic bottoms (for rigidity and easy cleaning) and are machine washable. I’ll be on the lookout for cotton ones, though, since I always prefer natural fabrics to synthetics. :^) Until then, my gut says reusable bags of whatever variety are a big step in the right direction.
The Fake Plastic Fish site is interesting. Personally, I think affording that level of attention to one aspect of my trash would probably make me a bit neurotic. (I already hoard too much anyway.) But the sentiment is right: Every reasonable thing we can do to reduce our personal trash footprint is worth considering, and everyone’s small changes do add up on a global scale.
I’m actually quite distressed by the Pacific Trash Vortex, described on the Fake Plastic Fish site and quite thoughtfully at The Oyster’s Garter. It’s one of the things that “inspired” me take the concrete step of shunning plastic bags.