Maybe she reuses the plastic bags as garbage bags or dog waste bags (thus not buying single use garbage bags) and doesn’t actually have them just laying around the house gathering dust.

I like the turn it inside out and write “I’m a reusable bag”. Funny. Could do that with plastic cups and forks the drive-thru fast food places give you.

@Audrey Great idea!

What about Chico bags? I have one in my purse and pull it out whenever I forget my basket. This Chico bag makes me happy. A friend gave it to me. I am thinking of getting some to give guests at my B&B. Don’t you think having a collapsible bag that you can carry at all times and use when needed to avoid plastic bags is a good thing?

Thanks for this–I bought some bags from reusablebags.com a couple of years ago, and they are awesome–but then they spent the next year or so until I officially removed myself from their mailing lists because they kept sending emails and sales and promotions and desperately trying to get me to buy MORE reusable bags. I’m like, okay, the whole point was that I’d have maybe 3 or 4 bags and that’s all I’ll need for the indefinite future…

I still like my cloth bags, and I really don’t much like the plastic ones from the store (you can hardly carry anything in them!), but your’e right–how many does one need?

Hello, I know this post is a couple of years old but I thought I would add my 2 cents worth. What I do is instead of getting a t-shirt/hat/shot glass/junk from a vacation I get a canvas bag that has something meaningful from that place on it. For instance, I have a canvas bag from the Chicago Museum of Art and a canvas bag from Boston with a picture of the little duck statues on it. Everytime I pull out a bag to use it for shopping/carrying things it takes me back to those wonderful vactions I had. People now give me cloth bags as presents and when I use them I am reminded about that person. (Can you tell I’m a bit sentimental?)

I just found this post so I know I’m really late in leaving a comment!

I love your blog and agree wholeheartedly, especially with this post. I’ve used canvas bags for years; they were from conventions my mom went to so they all have logos on them that deal with cardiovascular health.

I have found an amazing site called http://www.myrecycledbags.com where the woman uses plastic bags for many of her crocheting projects. They are amazing! The great thing is, she also displays all her patterns for free, so that we can all benefit. I have made three bags from her patterns and they’ve all turned out really well. They also make for great conversation pieces :)

The funny thing is that I have to ask friends and co-workers for all my “supplies” since I don’t get plastic bags anymore.

Check out her site, you might find something you’d like to knit!

Thank you for this! Yes, I had the “D’oh!” moment after buying two Chicco bags, and then realizing I was contributing to the Smug Pollution… and had bought *nylon* bags. Duh.

But I’m collecting canvas and other bags to reuse till they wear out, and have crocheted one string bag and plan to crochet more.

Found your site because I pulled a rice bag out of a neighbor’s recycling (!?) and was wondering what to do with it.

Japanese people have furoshiki fabric which ties around whatever it is. Make your own bag in this fashion, and save electricity that would be used to sew your own. Alnernately, use a pareo, or length of some lightweight fabric that can be tied once around the items, and then if the ends of fabric are long enough, can be tied around your body and carried like a satchel, sling bag, or crossed over the front and tied around the waist, similar to a backpack.

More stores in Hawaii should encorage reusable “bring your own” type shoppers by offering a deduction from the grocery bill for those who don’t take a bag.

I’ve opted to take my own large mug and plate to work with my own chopsticks and spoons for eating lunch. If I go to the snackshop and get breakfast or lunch, I ask her not to put it in a styrofoam container and not to give me a plastic bag and utensils. She’s caught on to this, and I actually get larger servings in lieu of saving her money on the disposable items.

Back to the plastic bag thing – I save a bunch of them, folding them up neatly, and take them to a vendor at the local Open Market. I get a discount from the woman vendor for turning in these bags which she recyles out to those without bags!

Win-win.

For a years I’ve been buying basmati rice – 10-20 lb bags in burlap. These bags ended up in the garbage or compost bin. Now I’ve decided to keep them instead as a grocery bag. It comes with a zipper already and handles. It’s a bit smaller than a plastic grocery bag, but holds a lot of stuff if you squeeze it. It only holds a gallon of milk, but you can probably stuff other thinner stuff in them.

Also, going to coffee/grain shops for their burlap bags can be good for sewers. Just cut it rectangle and sew the sides together w/ thick thread if your machine can handle it.

Another great option – BaggyShirts – Reusable Bags Made From Recycled Clothing for a Healthier Planet! They are made in the US, and the artisans are paid a decent wage and make BaggyShirts from their homes! Check them out at http://www.baggy-shirts.com!

When speaking of reusing plastic bags, don’t forget you can reuse plastic bottles. One 12oz soda bottle is 1 oz of plastic. One 2 liter soda bottle is 1.8 oz of plastic but holds 6 times as much soda. Refill 6 12oz plastic soda bottles from a 2 liter bottle and you have not only saved lots of plastic, but LOTS of money over time, cutting you soda expense down to less than 2 cents an ounce. My bunny and I have just completed a year of doing this with the same set of 12oz bottles and there is no reason we can’t continue with them indefinitely. Of course, it says on the bottles DO NOT REFILL, probably for health reasons. But, if you rinse them out after every use there is no problem, we are the proof, still alive and kicking …er…recycling. You lose a little of the fizz, but not to the point of making the soda flat.

Hey. I came here from your shameless blogwhoring ;-) at Greta Christina’s. I can’t remember the last time I’ve used a bag of any sort. Where I shop (groceries), they give you the option of using the cardboard boxes all the products are shipped in – they’re just going to be thrown out anyway.

I just started using reusable tote bags for my groceries and other shopping trips. You can get some great reusable bags at http://www.Rejavanate.com . Not only do they eliminate the waste caused by plastic and paper bags but they are made from recycled burlap coffee bags, keeping tons of burlap waste out of our landfills AND the manufacturing process provides employment for individuals with developmental disabilities !!!! It’s a Win, Win, Win !!!

I have been using the tote bags that many charities send you when you give a donation…I’ve had some of them for years and years; they’re extremely sturdy and advertise various good causes instead of “I’m not a plastic bag”. No extra purchase.

Good points, about reusing plastic bags. I reuse produce bags when I have to use them, for example. However, I’ve taken to hating everything about regular plastic bags, especially the fact that you can’t pack much in them or they break, and the fact that you can only carry them by hand. Most reusable bags can go on your shoulder. Given the choice I’d go shoulder bag any time – far easier to carry.

Hey, someone’s profiting from styrofoam bans! This is from the San Francisco Business Times, August 3-8, 2007.

Styrofoam bans fuels East Bay firm
San Francisco Business Times – August 3, 2007
by Elizabeth Browne first year Doug Wright began manufacturing biodegradable food containers in China, in 2004, his company, Bridge-Gate Alliance , brought in just $200,000.
Since then, Wright’s company has seen a surge in business, caused in part by local bans on the use of polystyrene containers by restaurants. The Pleasanton company has seen revenue jump to $2 million last year and a projected $8 million this year on sales of its sugarcane-based containers.

“We’re at the right place at the right time,” Wright said.
The city of Oakland enacted a ban against polystyrene — best known by the brand name Styrofoam — on Jan. 1. and San Francisco followed on June 1. Berkeley outlawed it in 1990.
Polystyrene foam has several environmental strikes against it: It is made from oil, a non-renewable source, is not biodegradable, and some medical evidence suggests that chemicals in it cause cancer.
Both Oakland and San Francisco have been lenient on food vendors since their bans went into effect, focusing their efforts on teaching businesses about alternative, biodegradable containers.
In early July, six months after the Styrofoam ban, Oakland sent out its first warning letters,” said Susan Katchee, the city’s environmental services coordinator.
Violators of both cities’ bans first receive a warning, then are subject to increasing fines up to $500.
“We’ve found that restaurants are working through old supplies, or that they have tried a new product that they didn’t like and that they switched back, rather than looking for an alternative,” Katchee said.
Katchee said that the arrival of more environmentally friendly alternatives in retail stores has helped.
Wright’s business is benefiting from that, as well. About three months ago, Bridge-Gate Alliance’s containers began appearing in 10 Bay Area Costco stores.
“Sales are starting to rachet up,” Wright said. “The big windfall is not until every municipality signs up for this thing.”
ebrowne@bizjournals.com / (415) 288-4949

Hey, speaking of recycling, they’re bringing back Rent in London! Brand new cast!

I’m going to be ill. I just read about a couple in Arkansas that just had their 17th child. That’s 15 more than they need by any stretch of the imagination. If they have so much love to share, just think of all the kids they could have adopted. Congress should change the law on dependent tax deductions. You only get them for the first two natural children. After that, you’re on your own. (You can still get the deduction for adopted children.)

Like that would ever happen.

Hi Beth,

I now carry two plastice bags from the supermarket in my purse- cuz ya never know when you’re gonna stop by the market on the way home. I may look like a bag lady- but I get a 5cent bag refund every time i shop.

Here is something we could do with all the extra plastic bags: build a blimp with them! They’d be a perfect, lightweight way to hold helium. Or hot air. Well, I guess they don’t do so well with heat. And maybe they’d rip too easily for helium. Still, blimps are wicked cool, and any way we could have more of them, I endorse!

I just use canvas bags bought from trader joes and rasputin. and i try to leave them in my car at all times. and if the boyfriend and i are at the store without the bags…he just asks for no bag and carries everything himself. my bags are old, stained and kinda gross but who cares. plus i can carry my stuff around the store IN them instead of dealing with a monsterous cart. and we get a 5 cent discount for each bag we have (although…why dont we ever get the discount when we ask for no bag and just carry everything? we’re still not wasting another bag!)-MARIKA

Pasadena (where I am) has all-number curbside plastic recycling, and what few bags we get become something else. . . and we do use SOME as “other stuff” bags. . . but most plastic bags these days are so flimsy they often don’t make it from the bike trailer to the house without shredding, or are used to hold one, or at most two(!) items. So I have collected a dozen canvas bags over the years, some bought, some free (mostly from book publishers who LOVE to give teacher’s free canvas bags — it’s weird). . .

If I had any plastic bags at home, I’d make one just like you did. Awesome.

Fortunately, my old canvas tote and I do just fine. I didn’t pay $300 for it, but it’s quite the fashion accessory regardless. In San Francisco, it’s very “hipster”.

PS to terrible person – I forgot about that song. it’s a lot less dark than “Dead” from TMBG’s Flood!

And, beth, I’m wondering how much your custom “reusable” bags would sell for on eBay!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! I was fretting about how i would get word out about the new Make-A-Bag-Along blog, and here you are.

I am fortunate that the strong canvas bags I use when shopping came free. Every once in a while, one of the local natural food stores will offer a free bag if you spend a certain amount. These are bags that will last for a long, long time. (Some of them already have!) I agree, buy less crap.

Did you know that the band They Might Be Giants have a song called “I Am a Grocery Bag”? It’s on “no!”, their first album for “children” (pretty much indistinguishable from their albums for “adults”, though.) The lyrics go:
“Juices, muffins, pasta, and cheese
Milk and biscuits and cocktail sauce
I am a grocery bag
Salsa and pickles and organic grain
I am a grocery bag
Fresh coffee and bagels, pudding and soap
Baby formula and ham
I am a grocery bag”. You can listen to the song
here.

OK, so it doesn’t mention if the bad is paper or plastic. But knowing TMBG, I’m sure it’s recyclable.

Thanks, anonymous. You are so right. I forgot to mention used bags. In fact, I just added a paragraph to my original post. I’m glad you reminded me.

I agree. A bag is a bag. Did you read some of those “I am not a plastic bag” bags were selling on eBay for more than $300?!

You are so right, avoiding plastic bags should not be an excuse to shop. Who needs a new one, there are so many bags out there already! When I helped my sister clean her apartment, she was getting rid of a box of free totes from conferences and vendors from her job. Doesn’t everyone have something like this? If not, try Goodwill, where my sister brought hers, or try Freecycle.

These are all very good thoughts. I’ve got a set of hemp string bags from reusablebags.com, one of the least of the evils apparently; I would have loved to have instructions on making my own, though. I will definitely be trying that whenever I need more bags!!!