Reusable Shopping Bags

[Snowgirl]

I think the culture about reusable bag is not the same throughout the whole USA-Canada. Here in Montreal, lots of people use reusable bags for groceries, and some stores do not even have bags anymore! (No 5 cents bags for sale, nothing!) For shopping in the mall (clothes and such), it's much less common to see reusable bags, but it's accepted. Myself, I have 2 bags that I keep in my purse: cute, lightweight, & folded in a tiny pouch.

When I'm cross border shopping in northern NY or Vermont, I have no problem using reusable bags and don't feel out of place for doing it (grocery or the mall). When I was in Virginia this summer, it was not common, even at the grocery store, and I felt quite the outsider. Finally, in Florida last September, while I was buying some clothing, I took out my nice cute bag from my purse, and asked the cashier to put my clothes in. She thought the bag was very cute, but clearly did not see the intent behind it: she placed the clothes in a plastic bag and folded the edges so it would fit in my personal bag! At that point, I just let go, not worth it to try to explain to someone whose English was as good as my Spanish (i.e. basic but serviceable). Clearly Floridians don't use much of those for shopping. No idea about grocery stores though, but my in-laws got us nice wine bags from Publix last year, so it must be better.

[creditcardfree]

I have 5 bags I did purchase. I don't care if a company made a little money on them. I now use them every time I grocery shop.

Last week I bought four things at Kohl's. I had wandered around the store for quite awhile with them in my arms, so when I went to pay I said I didn't need a bag. Cashier, didn't think I could get through security without one. If it was a big item she could put a security strip on it. Strange...so, I accepted a bag. Turns out when I left the security alarm went off, but I kept walking since I paid for my items...turns out I distracted the cashier enough that she forgot to take the tag of the shoes I purchased!!! Uggh.

Anyway, I'm trying to find ways to reduce as much plastic as possible, which once you realize how much plastic is in and around products, it is a little overwhelming. Refusing plastic bags is a great beginning for us.

[Angio333]

I won't bring my own bags. The plastic bags make great garbage bags, etc.

I would consider it if the store gave a rebate for using my own.

[TBH]

I am all for reusable bags. We have gotten many of them for free--my faves are from employee benefits fairs. Usually the health insurance company gives them out. I have a few that I bought years ago and have gotten tons of use out of them. My favorite of those is made by Wrapsacks, and it zips down into a little pouch that fits inside my shoulder bag that I carry everywhere. They're not very cheap, but they're pretty and sturdy. I have given a lot of them as gifts, and just saw a friend today who had the one I had given her over her shoulder.

Our local grocery store does the kind of automatic bagging you all are talking about, and often they double bag stuff or put only one or two things in each bag. It's annoying. I've noticed in the past year they act less surprised when I produce my own bags. I don't bring my reusable bags every time (I'd say I forget or I'm too lazy maybe half the time) and we do re-use all the plastic handled bags.

I think they should start charging for those bags or make a law against them. There's a chance we'll have a city law against them in Philadelphia, which I would support. The reusable bags are so cheap and plentiful now. There is no excuse to keep using the crappy plastic ones.

[Angio333]

I think they should start charging for those bags or make a law against them. There's a chance we'll have a city law against them in Philadelphia, which I would support. The reusable bags are so cheap and plentiful now. There is no excuse to keep using the crappy plastic ones.

Shouldn't it be up to the business owner to decide if they want to give the bags out for free or to charge for them? This is just another area of our lives that the government should stay out of.

[My English Castle]

I'm with neat design! We got some Tesco UK bags as part of a birthday gift from British friends, and the baggers in our local supermarket LOVE them. They hold a ton, have a lovely flat bottom (the bag, not the baggers), and the supermarket gives us 5cents back to bring our own bags.
But the weird fiber ones that our local supermarket tries to sell us are awful. I got one as a promotion, and it ripped after two trips to the store.

[getforfree]

The only reason why I use reusable bags is because the store gives 5c off for each of them. I don't bring it to the stores that don't give discount. I have 6 bags that I bought at Walgreens 3/$1. This kind of bags usually cost like 99c or even more.

I use plastic bags for my trash, it fits perfectly, so I don't have to buy garbage bags.

So I bring my 6 bags to the store, and if I buy more than 6 items, I put the rest of the items in plastic. When I know I need to buy a lot of stuff, I would get only about 10 items, get discount for 6 bags, unload my stuff in the trunk, then go back and buy the rest of stuff.

So I am saving the extra 30c in just 5-10 minutes without driving extra. Might not be worth for some people, but hey, it's untaxable and without any work-related expenses.

[disneysteve]

The only reason why I use reusable bags is because the store gives 5c off for each of them. I don't bring it to the stores that don't give discount.

So you don't do it for the environmental impact. You do it for the financial impact. I've said many times that people do what affects their wallet. I said that with gas conservation last year when prices shot up. People suddenly started cutting back on driving and shopping for more efficient cars. It had nothing to do with concern over our oil consumption or the future or the environment. It was all about money. Give people a financial incentive, even a tiny one like $.05/bag, and people will modify their behavior.

[GrimJack]

The only reason why I use reusable bags is because the store gives 5c off for each of them. I don't bring it to the stores that don't give discount. I have 6 bags that I bought at Walgreens 3/$1. This kind of bags usually cost like 99c or even more.

I use plastic bags for my trash, it fits perfectly, so I don't have to buy garbage bags.

So I bring my 6 bags to the store, and if I buy more than 6 items, I put the rest of the items in plastic. When I know I need to buy a lot of stuff, I would get only about 10 items, get discount for 6 bags, unload my stuff in the trunk, then go back and buy the rest of stuff.

So I am saving the extra 30c in just 5-10 minutes without driving extra. Might not be worth for some people, but hey, it's untaxable and without any work-related expenses.

I hope you pick up change on the ground too! I pick up change but i would not return to a store multiple times to get multiple 5 cents (old calculation - picking up one penny is the equivalent of $36.00 per hour).

We have only bought 2 bags - both from the local library to carry books home. We consider that a literary contribution. We both carry a bag with us and we have about 10 in the car; we never use them all at one time, it is just that sometimes they accumulate in the house. Since we got a new kitty, we do occasionally get a paper bag as she loves them and has become our organic paper shredder.

[whitestripe]

we use green bags that are made from recycled plastic bags, and canvas bags. they sell them for 99c each, we have about 15 or so and usually have a few in the car. they are bigger and better than normal plastic bags. for a normal grocery shop for us, which we used to use maybe 15-20 ordinary plastic bags, we only use 3 or 4 'green bags'. when they are no longer usable we recycle them again.
i'm not worried about meat or fruit touching each other/cross contamination - meat comes wrapped in plastic (? does it not come wrapped in plastic in america?) and i wash fruit/veges before i eat it anyway.
i couldn't care less if it is saving supermarkets money, that is not the point for me. sure, its convenient that we get them free, so what. often those stupid plastic grocery bags break with one use, and i have to throw them out. i feel so horribly guilty about it. also i don't see the bigg hooha over having to pay for plastic bags either. so don't use them! or think about what you're doing before you leave home so you can take some with you. everyone has gotten so used to having platic bags given to them that they think they are 'entitled' to them, i think it's ridiculous. what a terrible state the world is in if people get angry over having to pay for plastic bags/or not be able to access them freely. we are so used to convenience at the cost to the environment...


anyway! end of my rant! i am a little passionate about this topic, obviously.

[Daylily]

Our local food co-op always gives a 5-cent credit for bringing your own bag. However, starting on Earth Day this year they are finally going to start charging customers 5-cents for every plastic or paper bag that the store has to provide. To prove that they are doing this for the environment, not for financial gain, they are donating all of the money that comes in from the 5-cent bags to a local charity.

[Cassandra]

I use reusable bags too. There are a couple grocery stores here that give a 5-cent discount to those who bring in reusable bags, but I rarely go to those stores because they are more expensive. The ones I frequent offer no discount.

I have 6 bags, and only two of them I bought. One I got free from Macy's in January when I purchased something from them (ok, not technically free, but I didn't pay extra for the bag), 2 are old beach totes I no longer like to use as my purse, one my grandma gave, and the other two I bought at Walmart while ringing up my purchases when I ran out of reusable bags.

I like the reusable bags more. They fit more than the plastic bags, are more durable, and are more comfortable to carry.

[QuadSquadMom]

We have dogs, so I use the occasional plastic bags I get for dog walking pick up time.

I far prefer the reuseables over the plastic bags partly due to their larger size and shoulder straps. Mine are washable. I love the reduced waste factor. I hate seeing the plastic bags stuck in trees, blowing along, etc.

Now, if I can just REMEMBER to take the bags from the car trunk and into the store BEFORE I make it to the register!!!

[segmond]

i haven't bought the expensie reusable shopping bags, but in stores that charge for bags, i take my own plastic/paper bags from previous shopping experience and reuse.

[zakity]

We have tons of the reusable bags. I got most of them for free. We get 3 cents at one store and 5 cents at another store for using them. The ones I did pay for have paid for themselves several times over from the money back. I actually love the things. If I use the reusable, then I have less crap coming into the house which means less crap to haul back out of the house. I can be lazier!