New life for plastic bags

Guest · Posted: Tue May 30, 2006 5:26 pm Post subject: New life for plastic bags

I seem to have hundreds of plastic bags hanging around my home. Are they recyclable?

Sandi Gauvin · alive Expert Joined: 30 May 2006 Posts: 1

Ah, those ubiquitous plastic bags—they’ve become an indispensable part of our lives. The good news is that there are many ways for conscientious consumers to add extra life and purpose to plastic bags.

Did you know that every time you reuse a plastic bag you double the environmental savings? You save the bag you reused from going to a landfill, and you save the necessity of using a new one.

Many major retailers currently operate in-store collection programs for plastic bags. To find a local store that offers this service, visit the Canadian Plastics Industry Association’s website at www.myplasticbags.ca.

This website also allows you to determine if your community offers curbside collection of plastic bags. To prepare plastic bags for the curbside, pack all clean, empty bags in one plastic bag, knot it, and wedge it securely either inside of or next to your recyclables box.

If neither of these programs is available in your community, don’t despair; there are plenty of other ways to put those plastic bags to good use once you’ve unloaded your groceries. For example, many thrift stores go through hundreds of donated plastic bags every day. Local schools and public libraries may also collect used bags to protect borrowed books from the elements. Use your imagination and you’ll be amazed at how many bags you can prevent from ending up in the landfill.

Plastic bags and film acceptable for most curbside recycling programs:
• grocery bags
• retail store bags
• rinsed milk pouches and outer bags
• bread, sandwich, and bulk food bags
• dry cleaning bags
• overwrap for disposable diapers
• frozen food bags
• overwrap for toilet tissue and paper towels

Guest · Posted: Thu Aug 03, 2006 4:30 am Post subject:

i know someone who has plastic bags all over her home and have been there for 5 years could this effect her heath

Guest · Guest

My suggestion has always been to reduce and reuse plastic - and paper - bags.

When grocery shopping, I take old ones with me. I double them up and they are quite sturdy. Putting old paper ones into old plastic ones is the way to go.

When clothes shopping, I ask for one large bag at the first store I shop at and then fill it up with the other things I buy on the trip. Only one bag used per shopping trip - that's not bad at all and this is very easy to do.

Of course, reusable cloth bags are the best way to go - I just don't always have them handy.

Guest · Guest

I have a good friend who - for years - would bash my use of plastic bags at grocery stores. I use them for groceries and then reuse them as garbage bags.

She would go on and on about reusable, cloth bags being the only way to go. She'd have her cloth bags at the checkout.

Then she'd buy a huge box of plastic garbage bags.

???

It took her a while to see the error of her ways.

EJ · Guest

Cloth are definitely the way to go. Many grocery stores give you a discount off your purchase for bringing your own bags too.

Also - many stores have bins in them for you to recycle your shopping bags. All steps in making our world more green. :)

Guest · Posted: Tue Aug 21, 2007 10:53 pm Post subject: Biodegradable bags

Yes, plastic bags are recyclable (it's plastic...).
Cloth bags, sure they aren't convenient, but it's easy to fold, just stuff one in your purse everytime you go out, even though you're not expecting to buy something.

My family uses plastice bags are garbage bags, to keep the garbages as clean as possible, right? But the plastic bags are that biodegradable. My question is: "Where can we buy affordable, biodegradable bags?"

BananaPancakes · Joined: 17 Oct 2008 Posts: 12 Location: Los Angeles

I try to remember to always bring my reusable bag for grocery shopping... but when I do get plastic bags I never just throw them out... I will leave some in my car for the next trip, use them for garbage or will use them to put my lunch in for work. I try to reuse them as much as possible!