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Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-09-2010

It seems easy to find alternatives for everything except pet waste and daily garbage that you take to the trash.

And it seems that biodegradable is not ideal either because of increase to "global warming" even over regular plastic (not to mention costs money every month).

I guess we could wrap the waste for pets in paper and then throw in weekly plastic bag. That might work if you don't have to keep it in the house though!

My daughter throws the diapers on the garage floor and then takes to the large outside bin but I don't have that option. I admire everyone's effort to be more aware and try to improve our environment.

I'm the first to admit I don't always think about it and am not so great about it. So this thread is a good reminder to do better.

"If you walk the footsteps of a stranger, you'll learn things you never knew. Can you sing with all the voices of the mountains? can you paint with all the colors of the wind?"
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I just bought 6 reusable grocery bags from Jensons yesterday just to keep in the cars. $1.99 each. I can't tell you how many times I've left the house without mine (and my grocery list). I'll cut a couple of pieces of cardboard to size and put them in the bottoms. Works pretty good especially 2 pcs. To keep it's form.
Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎10-25-2010

I have reusable poly grocery bags that fold up really small that I carry to the grocery store.  I use them when I can.

 

Sometimes I do get plastic bags, especially at stores like Target.  I fold them and reuse.  I even have some in my car trunk and they have come in handy many times.

 

i have read that in areas where the plastic grocery store bags have been banned, there has been an increase in the purchase of plastic garbage bags.  

 

I remember when I was a child, we lined our outside trash can with newspapers and wrapped up kitchen scraps in newspapers then put them in used plastic bread bags before disposing them.  Still, at the end of each week, we had to hose and scrub out the trash can or if would stink and get disgusting.

 

My local municipality requires trash to be placed in plastic bags before setting it out to the curb, even in a plastic trash bin.

 

I think we need to stop the use of plastic, especially the one use kind, but in order to do so, we need a good substitute. It doesn't make sense to band the grocery store bags and then have people turn around and buy plastic bags off of the shelves.

Honored Contributor
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@Annabellethecat66 wrote:

It's always bothered me that we went from paper bags to plastic bags.  While paper bags are not as good as reusable carry your own bags, it's still a product that will designate and trees can be grown.

 

My ex-son-in-law (phew a lot of dashes) and his family own a huge tree farm in the US.  There's a science to growing trees, etc.

 

Anyway, no one seemed to think about what is/was driving this plastic bag thing.  Oil is needed to make plastic bags..Duh! Pick one!........

 

https://search.yahoo.com/search?p=is+oil+used+in+making+a+plastic+bag&fr=yset_widemail_chr_win&type=...

 

The problem I have with using bags I bring in is that my food gets squished, well..you name it.  As they try to fit these groceries into the bag, I stand there and TRY to rearrange them so the groceries aren't destroyed before I get home.

 

I've bought so many different bags to use....nothing works well.  I think it's because they don't have square bottoms (like making it easy (easier) to pack the food.  Another subject/another time.

 

Most of the baggers I talk to have never been taught how to bag the food.  The young males have no idea what's cold and where to put various items.

 

So, I feel like I always have a choice...do I want to bring my own bags and have the groceries thrown in them...do I want to end up with as many as 10-15 (yes, that many) plastic bags?

 

Lots of time people think things can be recycled, but they'd be surprised at how many thing ARE NOT recyclable.

 

 

 

 


 

@Annabellethecat66 

 

Our 'cloth' grocery bags are gusseted and have a square piece of plastic that lines the bottom of the bag, so it keeps it's squared shaped and everything doesn't end up in one big pile at the bottom of the bag.

 

Not sure why all grocery stores across the country don't have this kind? And I'm in the little ol' state of GA, not some huge metropolis city.

 

If I have any leaks, the square plastic can be hand washed and I throw the cloth bags in the washer.

 

I'm always asked at the store if I want the meat in plastic bags first, then put in my cloth bag.

 

Huh? That defeats the purpose of using cloth bags to eliminate so much plastic waste!

You never know how strong you are until being strong is the only choice you have.
Respected Contributor
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Its a hot mess .. and something is going to have to change ....

Honored Contributor
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Registered: ‎03-10-2010

What happened to free paper bags?  Stores here are charging 10. cents for a paper bag with handles.  I don't need handles and I don't want to pay for a paper bag that I'll throw away.  Remember how we used to tuck them between the fridge and a cabinet and they became a breeding area for roaches?

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment
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Cakers, yours is the ultimate response.

 

PLASTIC CAN BE EVIL. It is NOT biodegradable.

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Speaking of dog poop, we have a side run and scoop it up and flush it. But on walks, of course, we do have to rely on bags.


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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Reading this thread, I come away feeling very confused about how to proceed in the most environmentally-safe way. I bet I'm not alone. Consolidating all of this and making it easier wherever possible would go a long way in helping us.


~Who in the world am I? Ah, that's the great puzzle~ Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
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Registered: ‎03-10-2010

Are you just talking about plastic grocery bags?  Or ziplock and hefty food bags (1 quart, i gallon, fridge or freezer)?