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Greetings! I just posted an article about earth friendly shopping bags in my new "Get a Bag Keep the Bag" movement to eliminate the use of plastic bags. Do you recycle or reuse your bags? (please say yes...smile)


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I normally buy recycled reusable bags and use them when I pick up my groceries. If I forget to take them and have to use plastic bags, I bring the plastic bags to be be recyled.

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For grocery shopping i use cloth bags,


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Yes.:) I bought one of the $1 bags at Wal-Mart and I hang it on the door knob out to the garage so I grab it on my way out. I wasn't expecting much for that price but they're surprisingly sturdy, and I figure I can use it as a pattern to make a better one when it wears out.

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I do! If we do a big shopping we get plastic bags which we reuse for garbage or doggie pick ups when out walking. Normally I take my large canvas bag with me to the store when I walk up there to save gas money. My canvas bag is big enough to hold my wallet, cell, and several small items I purchase.

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In Europe, it is standard practice to bring cloth bags to pack up your shopping (yes, you pack your own purchases at grocery stores in Europe). I have about 10, of which I keep half in my car. I also have reusable bottle bags, which hold 6 or 9 bottles. Plastic bags cost anywhere from 10 to 20 euro cents each at the supermarket (15 to 30 cents U.S.).
BYOB!! Bring your own bag!

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No, but we have a great recycle program in our city. All paper products are picked up at the curbside for recycling. I collect plastic bags all month long and when the bag gets full enough I drive them up to the City Recycle Center (less than 1 mile away) where they collect plastic bags to melt down for reuse. Our Grocery store just started selling reusable fabric bags though, so I'm going to get in on that and start using those for my groceries. smile

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Great response. It's good to hear all that you are doing. I also picked up a few bags for $1.00 and they were great. It's nice to know that this is one thing that we can all help out with. Thanks for the comments everyone.


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We recycle our plastic bags but even so it means they are giving you freshly made plastic bags in the first place, which isn't ideal. So I did buy a bag from Amazon which is cool - it feeds a child for a year as part of the price - look for "World Food Programme Feed Bag". It's like walking around with a big advertisement for helping others, and the bag really is quite sturdy.


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That's great. I love all of the suggestions! It's becoming clear, we have options when it comes to plastic bags.


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If my store gives us the option of paper or plastic, I take paper. We recycle our plastic bags as many ways as we can. We find uses galore, we used them for people who purchased more than one item at my garage sale, I also use them at our high school concession. When someone buys t-shirts, hoodies, and other spirit wear, I put their purchases in a plastic bag from my house.
And finally,and this is the best my daughter has started to make what is known as "plarn"! It is plastic strips cut from the plastic bags and then crocheted into tote bags, and purses, cool huh?
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This is so great! Plarn sound wonderful and a great way to use the bags. She'll never run out of a supply. Or...maybe she will if we all switch to another type of bag besides plastic.


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My youngest daughter is going to be 13, but already you can see that it is a new trend to recycle, reuse, and rethink. She is already very "green" and so are her little friends. I am a very pround mom.

P.S. If she finishes her tote bag, I'll have her post a pic. for all to see!

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Mary, the plarn idea is something i have heard of and find fascinating. the end results usually come out surprisingly cool. I want to hear more about it and see a pic if you can.

We keep our canvas bags in the car for shopping runs, so at least this way we won't forget them. We have bags from Whole Foods, Trader Joes, Goodwins (local market) and some string bags from (i think) the Real Goods catalogue.

When we end up with plastic bags, we use them as kitchen trash bag liners, dog poop bags (we keep those in the car for dog park days), and for running errands - stuff to return, stuff for the thrift store, books to resell, etc. We still have more than a human can use and am interested with the ideas I have seen of weaving the used bags into floor rugs and carry totes.

I don't throw away recyclables if at all possible. smile

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Here's a photo I found online of a plarn bag - inspiration!

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Jordan invited me to post a link to a lens I created on eco-bags. I'm actually featuring one of her bags this week.

We also have a great recycling program but if we can reduce the number of bags in circulation all the better. It's not just about the bags being recyclable it's about how the bags are made -- it requires a lot of oil.

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I hope you can post a photo for us we'd love to see what your daughter has done!

Moe thanks for featuring the bag. You have a GREAT LENS!!! I saw wonderful bags that I can't wait to check out since you have more than just shopping bags. Thanks for visiting the forum and we look forward to seeing more of your bag features!

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Here in Holland I use my cloth bags for grocery shopping and even dept. stores. I roll one up and keep it in my purse. When they get stained they go into the washer.

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We have huge organic messenger bags that I use for groceries...we can fit 8 half gallon cartons of juice or milk, plus other stuff tucked in, into one of them. Just like Susan, I toss them into the wash when dirty.

As for plastic bags, we recycle them, use them in the bathroom trash cans, and we always need a 'business' bag for when we walk the dogs.


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We just got back from a wedding where the bride gave every one Chico bags in their out of town gift bag. Chico bags are durable and are hooked to a tiny bag on a key chain so you can push the big bag into the smaller one and carry it on your purse or key chain. Really cool. I hadn't seen them before.

I've found some places where you can get them online for free shipping or 5 for the price of 4. The regular price is $5 but they're really handy.

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Reusing the shopping bags is really good idea.Reusing will save our resource .But on the other hand this reused plastic also hazardous to be use .proper care should be taken.


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Here in Arlington, TX we soon won't have a choice about our shopping bags. The city council voted to ban plastic bags from stores.

I used them to scoop up after my dogs when I take them walking so now what? Go buy the special plastic bag rolls of doggie bags in a pet store? seems like that's defeating the purpose.

I've looked into biodegradable bags for doggie waste but they are expensive. Anyone have an idea on what to use?

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Joan, that is such a good point! What is the point of creating a new demand for bags?

Maybe a good compromise would be if storekeepers asked first if customers actually wanted a bag? Then dog owners could say yes, i'll be recycling mine!





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I use cloth bags, only thing is there big, and they pack them real heavy. even when i ask them not to pack them so heavy i am so glad i don't have to carry them up a hill or a lot of steps


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Moe, that is a very interesting lens. Is a lens like a mini-blog?

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I avoid using plastic bags but when I do use them I reuse them as garbage bags

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No. I save the bags and bring them to Wal-Mart or Central Market, both stores recycle them.

I also have cloth bags for food shopping and am still not use to bring them into the stores.

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yes i do:)
hmmmmmmmmmmm some time reused items squeeze your budget.do you want to have an attraction towards refurbished items??????No?????

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I save them but end up using them as garbage bags in the bathrooms etc. I use empty 4L (1 gallon) milk jugs by cutting a hole in the side to store the bags. The jug can hold a lot of bags and make them easy to store. I keep one in the trunk for when I go to the Real Canadian Superstore to get groceries because they don't have bagging services and I don't want to buy more bags.

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If you have plastic bags re-use them otherwise your washing basket serves the purpose. The plain green bags do the trick especially if you have to walk. If you can afford to buy a green at a buck each once a week it will benefit us all in the long run. Plastic bags should be phased out altogether. Designer grocery bags? How ludicrous!



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Thanks for your hints. It's been great reading about all of the ways we can use the plastic bags. And...I love the idea of nice shopping bag since it's something we can use over and over again. Thanks for stopping by!


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We use them for trash cans in the bathrooms as well. Other than that we use them to pop bottles and cans in them.
We also give them to the storehouse at church so they pack food in them to hand out to people.


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I usually reuse my bags but I've been getting paper bags and recycling them. I also take my own bag to the market now and have them pack that for me.

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I do use/recycle paper bags. Sometimes, when I am out of gift wrap, I cut and decorate the paper bags to use as gift wrap for kids - they love it! I also use the bags for wrapping up things I want to put away and mark on the bag the contents.

Usually, I take my large canvas tote to the store to use instead of getting new bags. I get a discount for using my own bag!


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For groceries we have reusable bags but when we forget them or for the other stores we do reuse the plastic bags then recycle them.

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We have reusable bags, but when we forget them and get a plastic bag, we reuse them.


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I have a collection of bio cotton shopping bags that I use for groceries and I roll up one and keep in my purse when clothes shopping. I wash them with the sheets regularly. smile

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We have a big stack of fabric bags that we use most of the time. If we're in a situation where they won't let you use those bags, we use plastic bags and then recycle them. We also have compost bags for the compost and kitty litter.


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