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Single Use Plastic


Okanagancook

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I have been using cloth bags instead of plastic grocery bags for about 15 years or more.  But, I was still putting my veggies and fruit into single use plastic bags provided by the grocery.  I use Debbie Meyer Green Bags to store my veggies in the fridge. I take the veggies out of the single use plastic bags and put them in the green bags leaving me with a mountain of single use plastic bags.  These used to go into the land fill but now they are recycle materia herel.  This really bugged me and now finally I have acted, especially in light of the recent news stories in Canada about how single use plastic is not valuable and recyclers are in a bind.

 

I recently bought these and another brand.  https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B074TDB3XG/ref=pe_3034960_236394800_TE_dp_2

I get so many comments at the grocery store from shoppers saying what a good idea it is to use these types of bags.  Today I saved 15 single use plastic bags.

 

Does anyone have other products/ideas to reduce our use of single use plastic bags.

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This may seem "duh" but as has been pointed out on many sites - don't over buy and keep them on the counter for inspiration or draped with a kitchen towel in the fridge if ambient temperature is too high. On your extra leftover bags there is a trend to repurpose - crochet!  https://www.diys.com/plastic-bag-crochet-projects/

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So far there hasn’t been a problem at the till.  Clerks can read the numbers through the light mesh.  Sure, they may contribute a little to the cost of the produce seeing they are heavier than plastic...they are pretty light.

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14 minutes ago, heidih said:

This may seem "duh" but as has been pointed out on many sites - don't over buy and keep them on the counter for inspiration or draped with a kitchen towel in the fridge if ambient temperature is too high. On your extra leftover bags there is a trend to repurpose - crochet!  https://www.diys.com/plastic-bag-crochet-projects/

I shop once a week mainly because it is a 30 km round trip into town.  The produce has to go in the fridge.

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19 hours ago, Okanagancook said:

So far there hasn’t been a problem at the till.  Clerks can read the numbers through the light mesh.  Sure, they may contribute a little to the cost of the produce seeing they are heavier than plastic...they are pretty light.

You've probably got Canadians at "the till."

 

I've got New Yorkers at "the register."

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I need to buy some more produce bags. I had some that fell apart rather quickly. I'd be interested to know how yours hold up. What is the second brand you bought? Any preferences? 

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1 hour ago, lindag said:

And that's a bad thing?

NJ example...I put a package of raw chicken into a single use plastic bag because I didn't trust it not to leak. When I got to checkout, the cashier was frustrated with getting the bar code to scan so she just tore a hole in the outer plastic bag.

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13 minutes ago, BeeZee said:

NJ example...I put a package of raw chicken into a single use plastic bag because I didn't trust it not to leak. When I got to checkout, the cashier was frustrated with getting the bar code to scan so she just tore a hole in the outer plastic bag.

 

Too hard, I'm guessing, to open the bag.  Geez.

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2 hours ago, FauxPas said:

I need to buy some more produce bags. I had some that fell apart rather quickly. I'd be interested to know how yours hold up. What is the second brand you bought? Any preferences? 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B07282FN24/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These were $17.88 for 15 bags in three sizes (5 of each size): 12x17...this is pretty big..for cauliflower, corn, etc.; 12x14 and 12x8 are both very good sizes.  Well made with a toggle for closure.

 

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B074TDB3XG/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

These were $19.95 for 12 bags in four sizes:  8x11.5 (4); 15x3.5 (2); 16x11.5 (2) and 11.5x13.5 (4)  Not as many and both are well made with this one being made from very slightly lighter material.

 

I am glad I got both sets because it gives me a good  variety of sizes.  The long narrow ones are good for garlic, zucchini, etc.

 

Hope that helps.  The latter came in the mail a lot faster than the other one.

 

The Debbie Meyer Green bags can be reused many, many times.  A quick wash and dry and they are ready to go.  They come in a few sizes also.  In the summer I put tape on the outside with the date the produce was picked....this is for my garden veggies such as spinach; lettuce; peas; etc. which come in waves and I want to use the first in, first out method.

 

 

Edited by Okanagancook (log)
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  • 2 weeks later...

Amazon US link (as I just dropped them in my cart), Here.

 

$14.99. I'll use them at the market. I have the green fridge bags, but these will be good to take to the farmers' market, where I get the lion's share of my produce this time of year. Note: New house is a half-mile or less from the market. If I didn't buy so danged much there, and if people didn't drive like bats out of hell on the main street between the market and the turnoff to my house, and if said street had either a decent shoulder or a sidewalk, I'd walk.

 

ETA: The single use bags are excellent to take when walking the dog, for cleanup purposes.

 

Edited by kayb (log)
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46 minutes ago, Okanagancook said:

There must be biodegradable doggie doodoo bags available.

 

lets just reduce our use of this kind of bad plastic...not that hard.

 

Paper bags work

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The store I usually shop at here in BC eliminated all plastic shopping bags at the till back in 2009. They do have some small plastic ones for meat packages that might leak and similar but only use them if a customer requests it or if it's obviously needed. You can purchase paper bags or small cardboard boxes if necessary and of course they have a range of reusable bags, some insulated. When they first eliminated plastic shopping bags, they gave out some free reusable bags to their customers to ease the transition.

 

And I know they used to sell reusable produce bags, I should really see if they still do. That's my downfall for plastic - sometimes I reach for a plastic bag in the produce aisles without thinking. I did use some reusable ones for awhile but they fell apart after washing a few times, but I should do better so I will get more.  Thanks to @Okanagancook for the reminder. 

 

But since I am often shopping for just the two of us, I don't always need any extra bags - a couple of baking potatoes, a few oranges or apples, a single mango or tomato can all easily be placed in the reusable shopping bags. At the Farmer's Markets and at my CSA, plastic bags are used less and less. For my CSA pickup, I have reusable bags and a great little cardboard box with handholds, plus a bowl with lid for salad greens. 

 

Several other stores here charge for plastic bags but I try to take reusable whenever I might be purchasing something that is baggable. Our town is set to vote for the implementation of a community-wide plastic bag ban similar to the nearby city of Victoria. It won't remove all plastic but it will help to reduce the amount going to landfills or ending up in the oceans. 

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“And I know they used to sell reusable produce bags, I should really see if they still do. That's my downfall for plastic - sometimes I reach for a plastic bag in the produce aisles without thinking. I did use some reusable ones for awhile but they fell apart after washing a few times, but I should do better so I will get more.  Thanks to @Okanagancook for the reminder. “

 

I was was just trying to get people thinking about all the things that can be done to reduce use of plastic bags.

Thanks.

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When it comes to grocery bags, I've avoided them for years.   I keep 3 of these Rubbermaid totes in the trunk of my car and bring one or two into the store and put my groceries in them.  

They nest inside each other so they don't take up that much room, though I'll take them out if I need to pick up people at the airport with a lot of luggage.

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Stores like Target, that also sell groceries, are subject to the same plastic bag ban that affects the grocery stores here in California so I bring those totes there, too.  I believe I bought that set of totes around 1995 so they have replaced a lot of bags at this point.

The green bag contains disposable produce bags that I bring in to the store or to the farmers market and re-use.  I get several uses out of them but was wondering about more durable alternatives and will consider they type that @Okanagancook mentioned. There are also a few re-usable grocery bags in there that I use at the farmers market or if I just need a few things. 

 

50 minutes ago, palo said:

What do people bag their trash in?

 

I use the plastic bags from the grocery so they become duo-use.

 

p

 

Good question.  This article has a graph that shows the increase in sales of smaller plastic bags after plastic bag bans went into effect.  

 

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