Paper, plastic or bring your own?

[Connonym]

I do have some canvas and cotton net bags but I often forget to bring them along :( Should we outlaw non-reuseable bags? What if there was a deposit system where you could "rent" a canvas or net bag for your purchases and then get the deposit back when you returned them (sort of like Whole Foods "reward" for reusing your paper bags)? Would it be possible to do such a thing on a large scale where all the bags were generic and could be used and returned at any store? Would any of this even make a difference?

http://www.examiner.com/a-643147~No_more__paper_or_plastic__.html

[Bullwinkle925]

1. I have my reusable Trader Joe's bags ....

so - I vote for bring your own!!

[ContraBass Black]

2. I use plastic.

[Oeditpus Rex]

3. I recycle plastic bags

Albertson's has a bin you can stuff 'em into.

[Connonym]

5. According to the article I linked only 1% of plastic bags actually get recycled

Start looking for plastic bags stuck in tree branches and you will notice that they're everywhere. It's one of those things that goes under your radar for a long time but then when you finally notice or have it pointed out you see them everywhere you go.

[crispini]

4. I bring my own. The trick is this:

When they are in the house, immediately after you have emptied them out, hang them on the doorknob so you will remember to take them to the car. Then leave them in the car, all the time.

Once you get into the store, if you have forgotten to bring the bags in, the rule is that you MUST return to the car and get the bags. I just leave the cart parked on one side and tell the checker I'll be right back, because I usually remember right before I start getting rung up. Anyway, after you have forgotten to bring the bags in, and put yourself through this two or three times, you WILL start to remember. ;)

[grannylib]

11. That's a good tip!

[taterguy]

18. I'm sorry but that's just rude

People behind you in line shouldn't suffer because you want to be an environmental purist. If you're really concerned about the Earth then you shouldn't be driving to the store in the first place. Walk or ride a bike.

[crispini]

24. Excuse me? Did I say I made them wait?

No, I did not. I would leave my cart on the side, let the line go on without me, and go get the bags.

Also, you know nothing whatsoever about my personal circumstances re: transportation, O Holier-Than-Thou. Who pissed in YOUR Cheerios this morning? Thanks for sharing the joy and love, and going one step further to making the world a better place! :sarcasm:

[taterguy]

25. They waited while you got your cart out of the way

It might be only a few seconds but it can seem like an eternity if you hate standing in line as much as I do.

Here's what I know about your transportation situation: You're capable of walking around a grocery store. Therefore you're capable of walking home, because anything is within walking distance, if you have enough time. :)

[InternalDialogue]

6. Bring my own, every time.

Timbuk 2 messenger bag, and it's never been too small for my groceries. Granted, I'm just one guy, and I walk to the market twice a week, but I can always strap the food to my back.

As far as bags in general go, I sense that it's not going to be long before corn-starch-based plastic bags are the only non-paper choice. At that point, with their being readily biodegradable, it won't be a big issue to use the store's bags. It'll still make more sense to reuse what you've got for as long as you can, but there won't be the environmental cost of using disposable plastic.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

7. My dear Connonym!

I have a couple of canvas bags, and I normally use them.

In fact, my store gives me a whole nickel back per bag!

I do occasionally get paper bags, since we use those at home to put our recycles in...

It does make a difference in what you use...

Plastic bags can be recycled, but not forever.....

[Shine]

8. I have a collection of 5 canvas bags I bring w/ me everytime I grocery shop

it was my New Year's resolution from a few years back and I've actually kept with it! I empty them out in the house, fold them up and put them by the door, so I can remember to bring them out to the car. It's all just a habit, by now. I'm happy to be doing something so relatively simple but that still makes a big difference, in terms of saving resources.

I live near SF and know of the story to outlaw the plastic bags. I think it's good to reduce the plastics, but does that mean there will be more paper (and trees) used, consequently?

I like the idea of renting the bags and getting a refund later. Little things like that can go a long way, I think.

:hi:

[reyd reid reed]

9. I got this really nifty tote from Qwest...it's like a cross between paper and canvas....

but I don't remember to take it to the store. I try and take my plastic bags to Albertson's and stuff 'em in the recycle bin, but otherwise I use them for my car or to carry my dinner to work or for cleaning out the litter boxes.

I'd be horrible at bringing my own. Hell, half the time I forget to put on my shoes.

:(

[grannylib]

10. I bring my own when I remember; otherwise, I use whatever makes the most

sense for whatever I'm buying/bagging.

My hubby uses the paper bags over and over for lunches, and we recycle those when they get worn out, and we can take the plastic ones back to the store where they have a bin for them, but I really prefer to bring my own bags/boxes.

[xmas74]

12. I tend to bring my own.

I have my daughter's various used bookbags and backpacks that she no longer wants. I also found some much smaller canvas totes at a garage sale (about paperback book size) that were a quarter each. I use those for my produce.

[philosophie_en_rose]

13. I bring my own. However, I'm against banning other bags.

Sometimes I buy things that do not fit into my regular bags or that I don't want to be uncovered in my bag (i.e. meat). I also like frozen food to be in paper bags (which I reuse).

I think people should have the option of using cloth or sturdy plastic bags (ala Trader Joe's). I noticed that Safeway is now offering cheap reusable bags, which are handy. It should definitely be the rule and not the exception.

Nonetheless, it's not sanitary to have meat or chemicals uncovered next to say lettuce. It needs to be wrapped.

[NMDemDist2]

14. I bring my own

I have two LARGE insulated bags and an assortment of canvas/net ones too

I unload my groceries, stuff all the bags inside each other and set them by the front door so I don't forget to take them back out to the car next time I head out

I love having the insulated ones so that I can grocery shop and still do a few more errands on the way home without my food getting hot in the car

[Cannikin]

15. I'm sorry....I use plastic. I got too fond of the handles. Beat me. Flog me. Call me Edna.

[Connonym]

27. Well Edna :-P

I swear, I'm not being preachy but if you like handles this kind of bag is very nice

[Cannikin]

30. Oh, but that would never go with my outfit.

:P

[taterguy]

16. We use the plastic bags to clean up after our dogs

I guess it's an environmental toss-up: Dog waste in the groundwater or plastic in the landfill. However, the neighbors appreciate that we don't just leave the dog mess on the ground.

[MissMillie]

19. yep, I use them when I scoop the litterbox

more than one use means 'recycled'? right?

[Connonym]

29. If you're interested there are some good alternatives

there are biodegradeable bags made, I believe, of cornstarch. The drawback is that you'd have to buy them. Another alternative is a Doggy Doolie which is pretty much a small dog septic tank that uses live enzymes to decompose. I wouldn't think it would be any more disruptive to the groundwater than a human septic tank.

I've used both the above methods but I also use regular plastic bags for dog walks. They ARE really great for that and getting a secondary use out of them is recycling of a sort.

[BarenakedLady]

17. I try to use paper

But sometimes when I do big shopping it is too difficult. I really would like to use canvas bags. Wegman's now has resuable bags you can buy http://www.wegmans.com/meb/content.asp?contentid=1902&sd=home&dt=meb (sorry link is too long. just cut & paste the whole thing) for 99 cents a piece. I may look into doing that.

[hippywife]

20. Canvas bags.

I bought some plain canvas bags at an arts and crafts store to use. Sometimes we get paper to use to line our kitchen trash can. If we are out without our bags and paper isn't an option, we have the cashier stuff as much as possible into each plastic bag.

[Rabrrrrrr]

21. Make people buy paper or plastic at $1/bag if they don't bring their own, deposits on all recyclable

I think we should also put a $5 deposit on every can or bottle or anything that is recyclable AND at the same time make it illegal to put food or drugs into any container that ISN'T recyclable.

We'll see a drastic decrease in litter, and a huge increase in recycling. And we wouldn't need curbside recycling done by municipalities any more, since people would take all their shit back to the stores to get deposits.

[havocmom]

22. Bring your own as much as possible

Back packs work... especially when you walk to the store

[Heidi]

23. Bring my own: a canvas tote with shoulder straps and a lager one made

of some sort of reinforced poly-something fiber. :hi:

[guitar man]

26. Bring our own

and save a nickel a bag doing it. Aldi foods is the BEST grocery store ever. No frills shopping, we save easily 30% over any other store in town, and they actually have a policy that encourages bringing your own bags.

[derby378]

28. I seriously need to start brining my own again

We have plenty of cloth bags at home, but they're used as totes for magazines, campaign materials, playing cards, etc. You'd think I'd learn to clean one out and use it for groceries.