Reusable produce bags
About 1 million plastic bags are used every minute, and a single plastic bag can take 1,000 years to degrade. If you're already bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, you're on the right track, but if you're still using plastic produce bags, it's time to make a change. Purchase some reusable produce bags and help keep even more plastic out of the landfill. However, avoid those bags made from nylon or polyester because they're also made from plastic. Opt for cotton ones instead.
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Comments
What about reusing the plastic bags you get there? I haven't found produce making the bags so dirty that a quick rinse wouldn't fix. People advocate reusing zip-lock bags, but no one mentions reusing produce bags.
Cotton bags can be used hundreds of times. However, linen is better. I made linen bags about 10 years ago and am still using them. Linen doesn't mold when it gets damp, cotton does.
You're right about what to do with cotton bags on scales. Most natural food stores remove tares (the weight) when you buy something in your own container, but regular stores don't, so you end up paying for your bag over and over, but that is a small price to pay to keep millions of plastic bags out of.... More
While my grocery store will use reusable bags for groceries--I can't imagine them dealing well with the produce bags. If I am only going to get one or two of an item, I don't bag it at all.
I use the grocery bags for garbage bags instaed of buying garbage bags. Is it better to buy heavier duty garbage bags instead of using the lighter duty grocery bags?
Mike — Depends how much trash you're producing. If you don't have much trash, the small bags might be OK, but if you're using three or four plastic bags per garbage bag you could've used, you might be wasting more than you think.
Vulgar, anti-environmental rants aside, there is a practical issue to be addressed. For example, some grocery chains (like HEB, here in Austin, TX) use plastic bags as part of the pricing process: you fill up the bag, place it on a scale, and weigh it. The scale then prints out a stick-on label, with the appropriate price. The question is, how to do this with cotton bags?
Moretreehugger crap...landfills aside, you would have to use a reusable cotton grocery or produce bag over 200 times before it is a net gain for the environment. And those bags sure as hell don't last to be used 200 times.
I beg to differ with you on cotton bags lasting 200 times. I have a few cotton bags and have been using them for probably at least 10-15 years. I also have linen bags. I have never had to throw one out because it wasn't usable anymore. I wash them between uses, too. I'm sorry your so angry at people who care about the environment and are trying to use resources as wisely as we are able to understand.
I've had my reusable bags for years and use them all the time. They'vbe been washed multiple times-so far so good. I'm curious though about the 200 times figure you used. Do you have a reference for that?
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