Comments on: Green or Not, Cloth Bags Are Not For Us

By: Jesse Michelsen

Jesse Michelsen — Sun, 27 Sep 2009 04:47:50 +0000

@Mother Nature

Bagging your own groceries huh? We sometimes feel the need to do that. Pretty often, we have a bagger that puts our eggs in with frozen juices or canned goods. It’s like hes trying to get them to break

Your organizational tactics here are pretty great and my post is really limited to the bags I have seen which are all small. Apparently there are many alternatives to the small bags sold at the checkout at grocery stores and I should dig a bit deeper. If I do try out any of the reusable bags I find or make, I will surely let the world know about it.

Thanks for you comments Mother.

By: Mother Nature

Mother Nature — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:44:50 +0000

I have always hated plastic grocerty bags because they break if you put more than a few things in them. I have also notices in the last few years they have gotten smaller and thinner, so they are even worse. I irritated the grocery clerks by asking for larger things to be put in paper, requested boxes at the checkout stand, and used plastic for smaller items. I also insist on bagging my groceries myself so I can put all the frozen stuff together and all the bathroom stuff together.

So I was thrilled when I bought my first reusable bag from Kmart. It was huge and just right for cereal boxes, crackers and other light dry goods. Then I decided I needed a cooler bag for my frozen goods. I found a great one that is the size of a small cooler but folds flat. Then I realized that all those cloth bags that I have recieved at many school functions and business conferences are great for groceries as well. I probably had collected 30 of them in a closet and didn’t know what to do with them.

Now I stuff all these bags inside the cooler bag and keep them in the car. I also put all my coupons I get in the pocket of the cooler bag so I have them at the checkout stand (I always forgot them at home before). Now when I go shopping I can actually color-code my gorceries so when I get home the kids know that everything in the green bag goes in the bathroom (our bathroom is green). Everything in the white bag is dry and goes in the cupboard, everything in the red bag is fresh and goes in the fridge, etc.

I think it is crazy how “green” everything has fone and it may be more hype than anything. But bringing my own bags to the store has made shopping fun again.

By: Jesse Michelsen

Jesse Michelsen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:10:44 +0000

@Corrin
I have heard from many “users” that they keep them in the trunk of the car. If I were to switch, that’s what I would do to make sure I was never without them. Where did you get the bags and about how much can they hold compared to the plastic bags?

@Amanda
I admit, I use a green dish washing soap, but only cos my Mom was in town and paid for it and those are really good reasons to use the green cleaners… a child recently died in my company because she/he drank toxic chemicals and there was nothing the mother could do afterward.

Of the links I provided in the first paragraph of the article, I am all for green cleaners if they truly are green, not just the same toxic chemical in a ‘green’ recycled plastic bottle or some crap like that. I am not a fan of the Starbucks splash sticks as you can see from my comment at the bottom of that article.

By: Amanda

Amanda — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:20:29 +0000

I do the very same as you do and re-use the plastic bags I get at grocery stores rather than just tossing them.

I also use green cleaners for a couple of reasons: First, there are no harsh fumes. Second, if for some reason someone were to drink the cleaner, it’s non-toxic. You basically just have to have the child drink water and there is no harm done. For me, those are 2 big incentives to use the green cleaners.
Amanda´s last blog ..Smile More, Glower Less

By: corrin

corrin — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:15:34 +0000

I would argue that reusable bags are MORE convenient. I keep a stash of them in the back of my car, they are larger and sturdier than plastic bags, easier to load and unload, and MUCH more comfortable to carry.

Now my husband only has to make one trip to the car when I come home from grocery shopping instead of 6.
corrin´s last blog ..Attention Bookworms – A GIVEAWAY

By: Jesse Michelsen

Jesse Michelsen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 15:14:07 +0000

Welcome, Yana and thanks for your input from the other side of the fence.

Like I said, I have never used the reusable bags so have never experienced how they match up in the comfort department.

In your case, I can see clearly why you joined the reusable bag community. If there was a credit here, I would jump right on that especially if you could get the cloth bags for free. 5 cents a bag may not sound like much but that’s 50 cents a trip for you and if you shop often, that could surely add up.

I think if there was a tax incentive, or store credit like this, more people would be encouraged to use these.

Thanks again for your input!

By: Yana

Yana — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 14:24:00 +0000

I have around 10 reusable bags in the back of my car, and like using them when I remember to do so. They are more comfortable to carry, and I put them by my purse when I am done unloading them – so that I can put them back in the car when I leave. Even though they are there, I often forget to use them. They cost me nothing. Earthbound Farms Organics gives some away (online), and my grocery store gave me a few as well (a free bag w/purchase coupons). I have a few that are handmade that someone gave to me. My grocery stores give a nickel credit per reusable bag used, and that is actually why I started to use them – any amount of money is an incentive to me. I don’t see that they do great things for the environment in particular, but it is a matter of getting into the habit of using them. I also shop for someone else who wants paper and plastic bags to use as garbage bags, so it’s sometimes one too many things to remember when I am shopping for her and myself as well.

By: Jesse Michelsen

Jesse Michelsen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:56:00 +0000

Emily, thanks for you input. My thoughts on the subject were a bit top level and one-sided, simply from my point of view, limited that it is and I apologize for that. I would love to publish some concrete positive information about using reusable bags as a followup including any and all information and reasons you, and any others that are pro-reusable bags could provide especially input from overseas and how other countries handle growing population and related waste.

By: Emily A. Boberg

Emily A. Boberg — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:43:00 +0000

The problem with the plastic bags is much moreprofound in countries where the population is in the billions. In those countries, as in the United States, it is not the production but the disposal of the plastic bags which are detrimental to the enviroment. The opinion put forth in the article excludes these countries and insinuates that one must purchase the reusable bags sold at the grocery store, which is untrue. A person is welcome to bring a bag they already own, talk about saving money. I have seen first hand how detrimental improper disposal of these plastic bags can be while soending time in highly populted countries AND I have seen how easily and efficiently people adjust to no longer being allowed to use them. Green craze aside, it doesn't hurt to grab the back pack you already own to run to the store.

By: Jesse Michelsen

Jesse Michelsen — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:41:00 +0000

Yea! I also read some stuff that I didnt include in the post because it was a bit of a tangent, but the plastic bags are actually not as bad for the environment as people would like to believe because the manufacturing process has been refined so much over the years. Paper bags are almost 5x worse considering energy required to produce and recycle.