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Jan 06 2012
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Tips to reduce the use of plastic bags

Filed under: Consumer » Eco Friendly Products, Tips » Do It Yourself,

We're creating a world of plastic waste

Globe in PlasticThe average grocery store goes through thousands of plastic bags everyday. At home, consumers use hundreds of zip lock and sandwich plastic bags to bag lunches, store food in the refrigerator, etc. All this adds up to an unbelievable amount of plastic waste. In fact, according to the Wall Street Journal, the United States goes through 100 billion plastic grocery bags annually!

Plastic bags endanger wildlife

Disposable plastic bags don't only increase the amount of waste we produce, they also endanger animals that can get snared in them and suffocate.

But plastic can be recycled, right?

Yes, plastic can be recycled, but remember that for any material that is recycled there will be a byproduct of waste that cannot be recycled. There is no way to recycle 100% of something and thereby create no waste.

That being said, it's not very difficult for you to make a difference and curtail your plastic bag use.

Tips to reduce the use of plastic bags

Here are some tips to reduce your use of plastic bags:

  • Use re-usable and washable plastic containers (Tupperware or Pyrex) instead of disposable plastic bags to store food and pack lunches.
  • Use re-usable cloth grocery bags and decline plastic bags at your local grocery store checkout
  • Use self-checkout to reduce bag usage, and decline bags when you can carry your grocery items in your hands

Ways to utilize the plastic bags you already have

For the plastic bags you already have collected, here's ways to use them instead of trashing them:

  • Use your plastic bags to pick up animal (dog) poop
  • Donate the plastic bags to animal shelters or dog parks
  • Use them in place of paper when doing work around the house such as painting
  • Keep some in your car in case of emergencies
  • Use them to collect trash when you're camping - and take the trash with you
  • Return them to your local grocery store - they can be re-used and sometimes recycled

 

Average: 3.7 (32 votes)

Average: 3.7 (32 votes)

Reduce plastic usage

I especially love the tip about not asking for plastic bags at the grocery stores. In Europe where I grew up, you actually have to pay to receive a grocery bag. I think that's a great system and I hope it's eventually instituted here. The "double bagging" for a loaf of bread is ridiculous. Are Americans too fat and lazy to simply carry their own grocery items? Then again, the average American buys so much darn food, you need a Hummer to fit it all.


Plastic bag re-use tips

Another thing you can use plastic bags for is as saran wrap. I know it sounds weird, but we use them constantly to cover food containers and they work great. It also doesn't hurt to keep a couple in your car in case you need an on the road trash bag or something to store something in.


Tupperware all the way

I think that was a great idea. Instead of a plastic bag we use a paper bag or Tupperware to store our food. Not only does the food last longer, it doesn't smell as bad or get too humid.

- Curwen's Body & Paint

Re-use plastic bags, tennis balls, etc.

I'm all for re-using plastic bags. In fact, what our "recycling-friendly" culture doesn't realize, is that half the stuff you dump in the recycling bin (usually anything above #1 or #2) will not be recycled and will eventually end up in a land fill.

How to counteract this? Simple - find a way to use whatever it is you're tossing. Tennis balls, for example, can be used to support the hand strollers old ladies use to get around. I ran into one at a sporting goods store that was going to buy a brand new can of balls! When I found out what she was using them for, I told her not to buy the can - I would give her a whole bag of old balls in my car. And the kicker? She goes through 4 balls every two weeks! That's almost as much as a tennis player, and at $2-3 bucks a can, she's spending up to $12/ month just to get around on her stroller.

That's just an example - get creative, have fun, and help us save the planet Earth's Friends!!

Smiling

One more way to utilize the plastic bags you already have

Switch to a smaller garbage pail, about half the height of a regular one. The typical plastic store bags will fit as a liner. It might be a hassle to take out the trash more frequently, but it's supposed to be healthier for the indoor air to take it out daily anyway.

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