Beware the Reusable Bag Monster
We’ve all heard of the Bag Monster — that scary mountain of disposable plastic bags that accumulate in cupboards and closets–or worse, blow down the streets and into waterways and threaten wildlife.
But have you encountered the Reusable Bag Monster? Witness the one in my kitchen:
Good lord! How many reusable bags do two people actually need?
Apparently, I am not alone. My friend Amber Strocel has blogged about having too many reusable bags. And in her post, she links to others in the same situation. Reusable bags have become the swag du jour at many events. Some of them are so cheap that companies buy them and hand them out like disposable bags. Usually, the give-away bags are not cotton, like the ones in my growing collection, but cheap non-woven polypropylene bags that look like cloth but are actually plastic.
Reusable Bags are not magic
It seems like some companies think that just providing a reusable bag with their product will suddenly make the product “green.” Here’s a recent example: When my employer asked me to order a new computer monitor, I chose Lenovo because their monitors are all certified GOLD by EPEAT, an organization that rates and ranks electronics by their environmental impact. So when I opened the box, I was shocked to find mostly a whole lot of Styrofoam and plastic packaging. Ironically, the monitor itself, tucked into all that Styrofoam, was covered with a reusable bag that read, “Going green with Lenovo.”
“Oh!” I shouted, slapping my forehead. “That’s why it’s green. Because it comes with a reusable bag!”
A reusable bag is not green in and of itself. It doesn’t magically counteract the impact of Styrofoam just because it’s added to the package. it isn’t green lying in a pile of other unused reusable bags. Reusable bags require materials and energy to manufacture, and just like anything else, are only green if they take the place of disposable bags. Many disposable bags. Which means, we not only have to remember to bring them with us whenever we go out, but we should resist the urge to accumulate more of them. The person with the most reusable bags does not win.
I like to carry a couple of ChicoBags with me in my purse because they stuff up very small, so I am never without a reusable bag, no matter where I find myself. And I carry several canvas bags when I am going on a planned grocery shopping trip or to the farmers market. Some people keep a few in their car. I don’t have a car, so I just have to remember them.
What to do with Extra reusable bags
Michael carries extra bags with him and offers them to people in line at the checkout counter who don’t have a bag. He says, “Here, would you like one of these? Just please remember to bring it back with you and use it again.” There are still a lot of people who don’t have their own reusable bags.
We can also offer them on sites like Yerdle, Freecycle, Craigslist, or use them to drop off unwanted items at thrift stores.
My goal is to reduce that pile to only the number of bags we will actually use, and to USE THEM! What ideas do you have for remembering to bring your bags and for spreading the wealth if you have too many?
I never kept mine in my car. And, living where we do, a trip home for them would be a (minimum) 1/2-hour drive. (25 km [15 1/2 Miles])
So, to punish myself, I would donate to the local food-bank. {Yes, many needy people use them, but I know of several people who use it because, “hey, it’s free”} I quickly learned to remember my bags that way.
An older friend wanted to always remember them, but would get into a flutter when leaving. I made her a “leaving the house list” First item — Do you have your bags?
Now that I regularly remember them, every parking lot and entry door has reminder signs. *Sigh* c’est la vie.
I have an allergy to Plastic (actual allergy: my allergist agrees. Not just “sensitivity”) Even worse than the Single-Use-Plastic-Bags is the non-woven poly. The SUPB eventually welts or blisters: the “reusable” welts and blisters immediately!
So, remembering my bags isn’t difficult, for me. Being a Seamstress is a boon for making my own bags, also. Nice thing about making bags, they’re really forgiving of errors, they don’t require mega-bucks fabric, they don’t require “fitting”, and they have hundreds of free patterns online.
But for those who haven’t such an allergy, putting them into whatever vehicle you drive is a good idea. Put a Sticky Note on your door, asking if you have your bags. Carrying a small,foldable bag is such a good idea. Buying bags you won’t mind carrying, Washable is always good. Wash them 1ce a week. Be sure you don’t use your reusable bags Willy-Nilly; keep them for shopping.
Giving them away is a good idea, donating them to re-sale shops, filled or empty. Give them to your workmates, send them home with your children’s friends, send them home with your friends, or take them to the mall, and “forget them” somewhere (Food Court for example). If you’re really desperate to get rid of them, put them under wipers on random vehicles: “a reusable gift for you” tag attached. 😄
There is an answer to those cheap nonwoven polypropylene bags: It’s longer lasting, more sanitary, and can be recycled if it gets run over by a tractor! It’s a CRESBI crate! The company who created them – Sun Sugar Farms – will even give a $0.10 credit for every reusable bag you give them which they use for weaving into pet rugs or even “packaging”.
Thanks for the info Cassidy. Now I know where I can retire my trusty Chico bag that I’ve had all these years. My handle started to tear recently and I’m going to try and sew it first. But it’s nice to know we can retire our bags to be re-purposed into some new.
Yes! In fact, I mentioned the Chico Bag take-back program in my book!
ChicoBag, the company where I work, will take any and all reusable bags as part of our zero-waste program. We’ve partnered with the Grateful Thread to have them repurposed into rugs! We don’t ever want to see a reusable shopping bag make it into a landfill.
Please send your worn-out or unused bags to:
ChicoEco dba. ChicoBag
Attn: Zero Waste
13434 Browns Valley Dr.
Chico, CA 95973
PS- Though our bags are technically “plastic”, many are made from recycled plastic bottles (rePETe material), not virgin poly material. Our bags also stuff down to a small pouch, making them easy to store and to remember to use. No bag monster!
MaryHolm1 that’s what I do also! I fold up my bags, roll them, and hold them with rubber bands and/or hair ties to keep them small, and have a bag full of them in the back seat of my car. Unfortunately, most of my bags are not washable, so I’m now in process of switching them out for washable bags. I have to have long handles so I can carry the bags over my shoulders. 🙂
A topic close to my heart. I have way too many myself! And the ones that are near the check out…those cheap 99 cent ones that feel like cloth and are not….or those flimsy plastic ones (with all the cool graphics) that sell for $1.99 lure us like moths to a flame…don’t they? Ahhh, then there are the cloth bags…sturdy…and wonderful. They all reside in my home, my car, everywhere and I have too many.
I love the idea of giving them away. I love the idea of maybe starting a “free” pile at my local library. Or the senior center.
I have a lovely looking t-shirt bag…but I don’t care for it as much as the more rigid styles of canvas bags.
Uses for those pesky cheap but enormous plastic “reUseable bags: They are great for giving oversized gifts in. And there will not be any waste. They are great for donating clothes and other goods to the thrift store. Use em to bring recyclables to the bin, or the center.
You can even get through one growing season using the bags as planting “pots”…just fill with soil, and your plant. Really works well on a balcony garden, and less waste then all those pots, less to store away in winter.
I love my t-shirt bags. I keep a bag of bags for when I plan on going shopping for larger amounts. Usually it’s just the 2 in my handbag that get used. They are always at hand while I’m out for that passing purchase and take up very little room near my hankies. I don’t mind if I have to give one away as I can make more but that doesn’t happen often. When I come home I empty them and put 2 straight back in my handbag, unless needing a wash and I’ll replace from the bag bag. I love the stretchy comfort of a t-shirt or jumper bag on my shoulder rather than holding handles. They are surprisingly strong and soft. There is no shortage of used t-shirts either if I ever need more. I am going to make some newborn nappies/diapers out of some t-shirts as my daughter is expecting a second child this year. Her 16month old wears cloth and loves playing with the bags, and can’t choke on them.
Dear Terri, I requested your book from my local library and received it recently though I was saddened my the packaging. They put a plastic book cover on it because of the spine I think. I was so happy to finally receive it since I live all the way in Columbia, SC. I just thought I would let you know and I have been reading your book for the last couple of days. We use reusable bags, it’s hard to get my daughter to reuse things for her lunch but we have eliminated most of the plastic in the house I am finding it everywhere! We recycle, reuse and everything but I do need to work on reducing and may be buying some new dishes from mylifewithoutplastic.com which is such a great site! If you could put a link to it on your site too that would be great if you haven’t already. Thanks for writing the book
Laura S in South Carolina
Hi Laura. Yes, all the libraries are covering the book with plastic. I appreciate the need to protect the book, but I wish there were a greener alternative material. I wrote about this very topic when I first found out about the plastic covers: http://myplasticfreelife.com/2012/06/when-a-plastic-free-book-is-covered-in-plastic/
Life Without Plastic is a fantastic company! As you read the book, you will discover that I profiled the owners on Pages 142-143.
I have placed a reusable bag full of reusable bags in each of my cars. Whenever I am shopping, I always have them. No more leaving them at home. Also, our local animal shelter has a resale shop and gives them out to customers, they are donated…a good way to get rid of excess reusable bags!
Hi. I too have accumulated many many cloth bags since I began to use them more than 20 years ago. For the past couple of years, I have given out cloth bags at Halloween to kids who were using plastic grocery bags as their shell-out bag. This has reduced my supply and helped kids get their loot home without the bags tearing apart. I also keep some bags in the car, some in the truck, some in the house and one in my purse/carry bag. I also sew cloth gift bags and we have had a garbage-less (Christmas wrapper-less) Christmas for about 23 years now. Every gift that I give is in a reusable bag, probably that I sewed. Most people will re-use the bags for gift giving so bag by bag, it’s making a difference.
Reusable bags sometimes wear out, but we don’t want to see them in the landfill when they do. We have an active repurposing and recycling program for all brands and types of reusable bags. ChicoBag doesn’t want ANY reusable bag to be left in a dark closet or sent to a landfill. Send us all of your tired masses of reusable bags, functional or not. We will distribute them to fixed and low income families ready to start a reusable bag habit or recycle them into new useful products through partnerships with artists, crafters and non-profit organizations. It’s simple, put your old reusable bag in a package and mail it to: ChicoBag Company c/o Zero Waste Program 13434 Browns Valley Drive Chico, CA 95973 We are always looking for partners. Please let us know who you think would benefit from our repurposing program at takeaction@chicobag.com.
This speaks to a larger issue, one I have at least, with using reusables, etc.: clutter. I have yet to figure out the *exact* number of bags, bottles, jars, etc. I need, so I’m constantly collecting/looking for the right kind for everything we use. For example, there’s the *best* jar for honey vs tamari vs oil… so forth. Working on it, but still feels cluttered!
Any thoughts?
I don’t have a brilliant solution, but I have a similar issue with jars and other food storage containers. I garden in the summer and then freeze the surplus for use throughout the year. So I have a big collection of mason jars as well as Pyrex and stainless steel containers for freezing.
Problem is that when the freezer is full I have a devil of a time finding a free jar or container for anything, but as I eat through the year’s harvest I end up with so many containers that there’s no place to put them all! For the moment I’ve reserved an entire shelf in the basement storage room just for jars & other freezer containers, and it helps – but there’s still more schlepping of containers up and down the stairs than I would like.
I have found I have been able to keep my stash at a minimum by saying no when I am offered a reusable bag (unless it is really cool and awesome). I always have at least one on me so that really helps. Love the freecycle idea for getting rid of any extras!
My local food co-op has signs in the parking lot that read “A bag in the hand is worth two in the car!” and a bin inside for donating excess reusable bags to anyone who’s forgotten to bring their own.
This is a wonderful blog! Just found it!
One thing I do with my bags when they pile up (reusable or not) is bring them to work. I work in a public library. We sell reusable bags, but patrons don’t always want another or want to pay for them. We get a lot of children patrons. So sometimes we bring in bags to give them if they have a lot of books or if it is raining. They always disappear.
I live in a studio apartment and have both a reusable bag collection and a pile of awful plastic bags to recycle as well. I try to carry my reusables, but end up forgetting them when I switch out purses, gymbags, etc. I usually don’t anticipate a trip to shop… but as you know, it’s best to be prepared.
I run a local Food Bank, I take all my extra bags there to hand out to clients…we do not supply plastic bags (which we were doing before I took over). Instead a client can take a reusable bag or a box (the boxes are left from the food we order, or received with donated food inside). I also solicit bag donations. Our ‘Much Needed’ list that is distributed through the community and to each group doing a Food Drive, includes reusable bags. Each bag has a note stapled into it that asks the person to return it to the Food Bank in one of our many convenient community collection bins. We don’t get too many back, but we do get some and some people who need the Food Bank more frequently will bring the same bags back for reuse. We also mention on our phone system that people should bring a back-pack or reusable bag…but since many people come word of mouth, we still get a lot of people without bags…and of course some people may not have anything to bring.
Beth! I wrote about our herd of reusable bags a few months ago https://liberatedspaces.wordpress.com/2012/10/27/bag-habits/ Amazing how they accumulate, but strangely, we use them all!
I now pack some of the lesser used bags in the car for hauling away client donations. And when reusable bags are no longer wanted by clients, I take them to one of two nonprofits Homeless Prenatal Program and SCRAP as they are given away for free to people who want and need them.
For a short time, one of the local independent grocery stores was encouraging folks to leave reusables they don’t want for those who might need one to take for free. I think the deficit of space was an issue and that program attempt was aborted.
All that said, there’s power in just saying “no” when you really don’t need another!
great post! please include an update reminder to occasionally launder the cotton ones, and wipe down the non-cottons with antiseptic, thanks.
i got a giant beautiful canvas bag 20 years ago from the j peterman catalog. it holds all my food at once every week. its prob half worn out and i guess i’ll stop shopping once its gone because there will be no other.
Have you thought of an LL Bean or Land’s end big canvas “Boat and Tote” bag? Either one might be an acceptable replacement.
A friend and I joke you have hit the limit on reusable shopping bags only when the trunk of your car is so full with them you can’t add another 🙂 But seriously, I get a set in my car trunk and use them for everything from purchases to libaray books to organizing items (sports stuff, jumper cables, etc.) in my car trunk. If I end up with the recycled plastic bottle fabric kind, I keep them on hand to give to people who want them and don’t have them. I am also experimenting with cutting them up and using them as interfacing when sewing.
Instead of buying another re-useable bag I have no problem with throwing everything back in the in the cart and throw it in my car. At home I retrieve the forgotten bags to carry things in to the house. If it is just a few items I just carry them out or put them in my purse. Of course this involves the use of a car…
I have made most of my bags, but I did by a market basket which I use for multiple purposes, it holds a lot.
If I find myself with too many of one item, I take Ed Begley Jr.’s advice by putting them out on the curb with a “FREE!” sign. They’re usually gone by the end of the day. I’d definitely suggest that idea for the reusable bag monster–people like a good tote bag and the lure of “FREE!” is very strong indeed!
I need to work on remembering bags. If I’m shopping at a secondhand store and I don’t have a reusable bag I often buy one (they sell them for 25 cents or so) and then just donate it back when I next donate items to a secondhand store.
Most of my reusable bags are from secondhand stores, actually, because I can find nice cotton ones there that wash better than the plastic ones do.
You can make or find a doorknob hanger reminder. I printed a template online then cut it out, decorated it and hung it on my doorknob. It took me a few times of seeing that reminder on the knob before grabbing my reusable bags became a habit. I remember them more often than not. 🙂 @Kaylen
I keep at least 3 flip and tumble bags (which I adore) in mu purse all the time. For grocery days I have a big black thermal market basket (because cold things don’t stay cold for long in Texas) sitting on the table that I leave my purse and work bag on. I put all my reusable produce bags, flip and tumble bags, and clean empty jars in the basket and my shopping list on top. That way when I’m ready to go to the store everything is in one place, nothing gets left behind, and the whole lot is staring at me when I grab my purse. Haven’t forgotten my bags in two years. If I end up with extra bags that I don’t want I just use them as gift bags or to bring food to friends in need of snacks.
I am not totally or even close to a zero waste, plastic free lifestyle but I do recycle. Instead of using plastic trash bag liners for my recycling cans I use my reusable shopping bags as liners instead. If they need washing, I switch out with another one.
AHA! I remembered my trick for avoiding the reusable bag monstor this morning when I headed to the Farmers market, I know a lot of you aren’t going to like this one, though, lol! I have a really pretty one that I bought because it had everything I wanted, and having that “One Perfect Bag” helps me remember it and keeps me from accumulating new ones. I have about 5 or 6in regular rotation, 2 or 3 live in the car and 2 or 3 rotate in and out of the house, and a chico bag lives by the dog leash in case I buy something in the neighborhood. I’m going to come right out and admit I have a couple different ones to match different outfits.
I love my reusable bags, but I’ve either been given all of mine, or have made them all from tee-shirts. I REFUSE to buy them at the store (it just seems so…wrong, somehow). My new way of passing reusable bags on to other folks is to “gift” bags when I am loaning items, giving away clothes, etc. I’ll just pack it all my in unneeded bag and drop it off. Most of the time the bag never gets returned, but I know that person won’t throw it away either. Is it wrong to pawn off reusable goodies on unsuspecting friends? 🙂
Hi. Great question and maybe we can help. The Pittsburgh Tote Bag Project collects gently used tote bags for local food pantries. We’ve collected nearly 30,000 in 22 months. We are working to build a model that can be replicated in other food bank regions. You can find more about us (and how to donate) at http://tote4pgh.com/
If you live beyond Pittsburgh, its fine to mail them to us if you want to help us build this model. But I’d also suggest
– call you local food pantry to see if they can use them
– donate to a local shelter or housing program (also call ahead)
– repurpose bags – we make new bags, belts, decorations, etc even aprons
– use them for your own donating. setting aside clothes for thrift store? put them in a bag and send the bag along, too.
Excellent topic.
THANK YOU. This has been a problem that I’ve noticed building as companies realize that the new marketing word is ‘green’. Isn’t it amazing how people are willing to accept this sort of deception so they can satiate their need to look like they care about the planet because it’s the new ‘thing’, without actually putting in the effort to see the truth behind the ‘green’ slogan? And of course, companies are all too willing to exploit this psychological need to ‘do’ something without actually ‘doing’ anything.
It really bothers me that, just for the sake of money, companies are willing to continue their ecologically hazardous practices, even if it means blatantly lying to the credulous sea of customers worshiping the Almighty God of Consumerism.
Your blog has been inspiring me for the past two years. I sincerely hope that your work will continue to spread awareness, and that many others will notice and change their habits of ‘convenience’.
OMG, I’m totally seething with jealousy over your bag collection. I fear mine are much more um… tattered than yours appear. Pretty much all of my canvas ones are stained and/or frayed – of course I’ve owned most of them for 20+ years – seriously, I’ve got one from a food co-op that’s changed ownership and names about 5 times since the bag was born. And pretty much all of the freebie plastic ones have been mended several times and patched with duct tape.
I’ve even managed to wear out my favorite Haida whale canvas bag. Seriously, the handles are more than 50% gone because they’re so frayed, the thing is stained beyond all recognition (despite repeated washings,) and the beautiful Haida whale on the front is almost unrecognizable…. but it’s my FAVORITE! I’ve been trying to decide if I should try to repair it or just let it go on to it’s next incarnation in the rag bag (snif, snif.)
That’s not to say that I don’t probably have more bags than I actually “need,” but the truth is I’m still searching for the perfect canvas bag. – One with a square bottom and a firm piece of cardboard or particle board that makes for easier packing of heavy items, and with the little loop to hold it open in the bagging rack. I’m sure such a creature exists, but I might have to actually buy one, and that totally goes against my nature. Perhaps I’ll try to modify some of the ones that seldom get used before I go acquire something new. I know! I’ll steal the handles from one of the yucky ones and sew them onto my beloved Haida whale bag!
Perhaps you should organize a national reusable bag giveaway day or something like that.
I have a bag from “Manniquin Modeling School Detroit” that is similar. I have made clones of it and given them as gifts. I was sad that after 20 odd years it started to get holes in it, although as long as it’s lasted it will probably be around at least another 10 before the holes get bigger.
I’ve been selling a lot of thing on Facebook garage sale forums, so when someone purchases several small items, I throw in a free bag. People love getting the reusable bags, it makes organizing the purchases easy, and I get to clean out my house. I’m almost done with selling though, so now my plan is simple: don’t take any more bags!
I do volunteer work with a local group that picks fruit from backyard trees, and which is always in need of more donated reusable bags so they get my extras.
My trick for remembering my bags is one I haven’t heard yet, If I somehow end up with a plastic bag from a store, the deal is I have to fill it up with litter. After two years of doing this I take very few bags, I got in the reusable bag habit early though, I’m still using one I got when I was 16, which shows you how long the canvas bags last. My RAP Jack Johnson bag only lasted a year 🙁
I love this idea.
Sheepishly raising my hand from the back of the room….”Hi! My name is Andrea & I’m a reusable bag-aholic too.” 🙁
Thank you for the ideas on how to beat the habit… in easy ways!! 🙂
–Andrea
XOXOXO
“The person with the most reusable bags does not win.”
That made me laugh out loud.