Comments on: Are Plastic Ziploc Bags Suddenly Green or Greenwashed?

By: BethTerry

BethTerry — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 18:26:04 +0000

Exactly.

By: SoniaGrothe

SoniaGrothe — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 10:07:56 +0000

Although, I say credit to those who find the bags useful and recycle them – you are making an effort and that is fantastic! BUT, we need to expect more from manufacturers & corporations who are producing & profiting.

By: SoniaGrothe

SoniaGrothe — Tue, 05 Mar 2013 09:58:53 +0000

Recycling ziplocs sounds like a “watermelon” to me – only green on the outside. Plastic is plastic and people attending a “green” festival expect more innovation than just re-using existing bags.

By: MelissaKio

MelissaKio — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 18:39:56 +0000

Ziplocks get holes in them eventually.

By: heidimel

heidimel — Fri, 08 Feb 2013 09:00:52 +0000

I try to carry a zip-top bag in my purse/bag so if I have leftovers somewhere, I can take them home without getting a questionable “to-go” container. I wash and reuse most of my plastic bags at least 3 times.

By: BethTerry

BethTerry — Sat, 26 Jan 2013 20:50:32 +0000

@jbrianagartner I am not advocating stigmatizing anyone for their choice of whether to use Ziploc bags or not. But there are lots of products you or I might use that are not necessarily green and that we wouldn’t expect to see at a green festival. I might indulge in the occasional M&M from a candy dispenser as I’m walking down the street, but I wouldn’t feel stigmatized because M&M isn’t at the Green Festival.

By: Green Washing or on the Way to Being Sustainable? - Chenessa Mok's Blog

Green Washing or on the Way to Being Sustainable? - Chenessa Mok's Blog — Sat, 19 Jan 2013 06:17:55 +0000

[...] so don’t forget to give some praise when you hand out the criticism. Original Blog: http://myplasticfreelife.com/2012/11/are-plastic-ziploc-bags-suddenly-green-or-greenwashed/ You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, [...]

By: jbrianagartner

jbrianagartner — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 02:24:20 +0000

I’ve never been to the Green Festival and to me personally it seems like a stretch. At our house when we do have to use a plastic bag I wash and reuse them (we have one of those small wooden racks to dry them on) but I would guess I am in the minority. Then again, maybe it’s important to meet people where they are. If you stigmatize someone for using plastic bags as in “you’ll never be green,” then maybe you turn them off from the entire movement, making it seem elitist and subsequently they’ll never have their “ah ha” moment.
Is there some sort of criteria business who exhibit at the Green Festival have to meet?

By: BethTerry

BethTerry — Sat, 05 Jan 2013 23:06:07 +0000

@urbanwoodswalker @Eileen05403 Fortunately, at the San Francisco Green Festival, the food that is served to the public comes in compostable foodware and gets composted after the event. But that’s because San Francisco has the composting infrastructure in place, and businesses are actually required to compost… it’s not optional. Still, I bring my own containers and mug to avoid anything disposable.

I’m not criticizing anymore for trying to be a bit more green, but the SF Green Festival is supposed to showcase what is possible, and to promote Ziploc shows a lack of vision, in my opinion.

By: Eileen05403

Eileen05403 — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 15:45:36 +0000

@urbanwoodswalker
So true. It’s easy for me to say that without offering a solution. I do carry my own containers and I do get weird looks and people get annoyed. Even at our local farmers market I have to stop them and say… oh wait can you put that in this little muslin bag instead of the plastic one please, and when I brought “the little muslin bag” to the grocery store I confused the cashier… really? Hi this is a bag. It’s just like the plastic ones only it’s made from material. Yes I realize the scales are tiered to the plastic ones, I will the pay the difference it’s only a few pennies… thanks. No I don’t want a plastic bag for the muslin bag thank you. :) I have been working on getting my family more “Green” for about 3 years and we still have a long, long, way to go. I also agree that the FDA needs a major overhaul.