Plastic Grocery Bags - We all have a stash somewhere right? Well what if you had to pay for them at the stores you shop at? Would you purchase them? Here we pay about 5 - 7 cents a bag anywhere you go (grocery store, pharmacy, department stores). I know it is not much, but it is the issue of having to purchase them that bugs me. You see in 2003 the plastic bag was joked as being the "national flower" here in South Africa. You see them everywhere!! I understand the concept and the issue of a better environment and since plastic bags are breeding grounds for cockroaches - I went Green and bought the reusable grocery bags! It is incredible how much fits inside these bags.
Here are some other uses for plastic grocery bags for all of you who have a huge stash in your pantry!!
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A great mitt for things you don't want to touch, like picking up after your dog, yucky cat litter and yes even to fish out the toy or money that the kids dropped into the toilet (you know you have to get it out or the tears will keep coming!)
A great mitt for things you don't want to touch, like picking up after your dog, yucky cat litter and yes even to fish out the toy or money that the kids dropped into the toilet (you know you have to get it out or the tears will keep coming!)
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Shoe Covers, you know when you come in from the mud and you don't want to track it all over your house.
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Poop bags/Dirty Diaper Disposal - especially when your kid had a "BIG" one.
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Travel - wet bathing suits, dirty shoes, dirty laundry bag
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An Everything Stuffer Bag - take home projects from school in, return items that were left behind at your house (my mom does this and writes our name on the bag).
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Re-use in the wastebasket in the bathroom.
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Lunch bags.
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A Pick It up Bag - tie one to the handle of your vacuum and all the items that you find while you are vacuuming (paperclips, legos, my little pony hairbrush, Polly pocket) can be saved!
A Pick It up Bag - tie one to the handle of your vacuum and all the items that you find while you are vacuuming (paperclips, legos, my little pony hairbrush, Polly pocket) can be saved!
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Leak prevention in your frig - wrap up meat so there is no spills
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Sink liner - egg peeling, husks from the corn, etc.
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And last you can always reuse them as a grocery bag!!
And last you can always reuse them as a grocery bag!!
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Some of these I am still thinking yes you are reusing the bags, but aren't they still going to end up in the trash?
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WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR PLASTIC BAGS?!?
9 comments:
Nice blog entry Lia. Makes me think about what do I really do with my plastic bags from the store??? Interesting.
Hope you are having a good day.
Much Love sent to all of you from Sassy Sara
Lia, that is great! You found my soap box....the environment! We use ours for poop bags and garbage bags. I have canvas bags that I get groceries in, but is is still amazing how many bags a person can acquire. The next step that I would like to challenge you with is cloth napkins! We haven't bought napkins in years. It's great!
Wow, so many uses for the bags! I usually bag up a bunch of them and put them out with my recylceling, but you've given me many more options!
I still hang the bags on the hooks by the back door with names on them for all the leftover trinkets I find after the kids have been here. Wonder what I'll find today?
Go Green! Love you, Mom
We definitely use them for poop bags. In fact sometimes I run out of them. I don't know if that means I don't buy very many groceries or Nicholas poops way too much :)
Oh Lia, Your blog entry is so interesting! Jan has the whole board reading the book, Serve GOD Save the Planet, by J.matthew Sleeth, MD. It makes you think about a lot more than just plastic bags, but with our reading this GEMS is going green! We are going to start using recycled paper for the Shine and Sparkle magazines, and all the Cables, ect. Then we will see what our next steps will be! We have board/staff retreat next week and we will miss you!
We are doing Orphan Sunday this Sunday, taking an offering for EOH. The girls are doing great bringing in money each week for our Sister Club, they are really interested in their African sisters. We had a great meeting Monday night, talking about orphans. I was so pleased with their interest and how much they care. Take care dear one.
Love, Barb
We use ours for poop bags and when I'm cutting up fruit or getting rid of old food from the refrigerator. Oh , we also line our small trashcans with them. We still have way too many bags around though. I guess that means I must buy too many groceries, especially because most of my shopping is done at Costco! Yikes!
Boy, I never would have thought of some of those uses for plastic bags (like hanging one on the vacuum for all the things you come across). I manage to accumulate many, many plastic bags so I bring them to the bread store, where they ask for them. I never thought of using cloth napkins (Laura's idea), but I'd waste water, electricity and laundry soap washing cloth napkins - we use paper napkins at every meal. Woops! We'll try to do better. Love ya!! Aunt Marva
Somehow I knew Laura would be pleased with your green ideas - she is a great conservationist and environmentalist! Wow, those are long words.... Every little bit helps and small changes can make a big difference. Sometimes SA looks a lot like GR.
Sending love and hugs your way!
Lia, we went to IKEA with Deb yesterday and they have gone green too. We had to buy regular bags for $.05 each or a regular large IKEA bag for $.59. This is a heads up for your next trip to IKEA!
I do recycle all my bags using them as garbage bags. The ones I don't need go to a friend at work for her cat poop.
Have a good day and we're really excited you will be home soon!
Love you all lots,
Mom L
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