Homesteading: A Woman's Journey

Paper, Plastic, or Cloth?

"Do you want paper or plastic?" was once a common phrase heard in grocery checkout isles.  Today, most stores now have fully converted over to using the plastic bags.  There are 2 stores that I know of in the city that still uses paper bags.  I remember when plastic bags were first being used.  A local news station talked about the number of trees that were used each year to make the paper bags and how the plastic would save a large percentage of the trees.  Years later, when plastic was being used in the greater percentage of stores, there began reports of the impact the plastic bags have on the enviroment. 

A new trend is beginning to take place.  There are those who are now using canvas bags for their shopping.  These bags are easily found in any craft store and in many grocery stores.  Along with the canvas bags, grocery stores also sell the bags made for hot/cold use. 

Making the change to using the canvas shopping bags can take time.  It is a major change in habit.  The hardest obstacle for many being to remember to take them in the store.  Sounds silly, but it is true.  Another obstacle that some have spoken of on various forums has been the reaction they receive from the store's employees.  Some are very good about it, wile there are a few that see having to pack the groceries in a canvas bag is a nuisance.  To estimate how many canvas bags you will need, just count how many plastic bags you use.  Because the canvas bags are larger than a plastic grocery bag, you can fit more in them.    Keep the weight of the groceries in mind though if you buy alot of canned goods or other heavy items when bagging your groceries.

I have been working on taking the canvas shopping bags a step further.  At the dollar stores and discount stores it is easy to find the mesh fabric laundry bags.  The bags ae large enough that you can make 6 produce bags from one laundry bag!  I make a simple bag with a ribbon drawstring.  The bags are light weight enough that they don't add weight to my purchase. 

Another way to use less plastic is to make your produce bags from the very soft bridal veiling fabric.  These are great for buying products from the bulk bins such as grains, rice, or any other non-powder items.  The health food store has long twist ties for their plastic bags at the bulk bins.  The twist ties have a paper strip on them for writing the bin number.  I attach one of these to the bag to close it, just as I would if I were using their bags. 

For the powdery bulk items such as Stevia, sea salt, etc. you can recycle the plastic deli bowl with lids.  These are the clear plastic bowls that the salads and other deli foods are sold in.  The containers have almos no weight to them.  I have found though that it is best that you ask the store first if you can use them instead of their plastic bags.  For some reason, some stores are more receptive to it than others.  To label the bin numbers, you can tape a piece of paper to the lids to write the number and information on.  Another option would be to have a container for each item.  This is an easy thing.  Just keep track of what powder/granular items you purchase in bulk and have a container for each one.  To label the containers, I use a Sharpie type marker and write the item name on the containers.  You can use a dry erase marker then to write the bin numbers.  When I get home, I transfer the bulk bin items into other containers.

It may sound like alot of work to do this, but actually the bulk of the work is in the setting it up.  Once you have everything together, you can store them all in a tote ready to grab and take on your next shopping trip!  Using the re-usable shopping bags and bulk food containers helps so much in eliminating the amount of trash we bring into the home.

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11:14, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 .. Posted by Kitty

Both big grocery stores in my area are selling the canvas totes. I want so badly to purchase these bags, BUT I have two things that are stopping me from doing so. One is that when I go grocery shopping I usually come home with as many as 50 plastic bags full of groceries, and at $1 per bag, I really can't afford that right now. Although I could buy them a little at a time I guess. The second reason for keeping with the plastic bags is that I reuse them for some many things around my home. My mom who has Alzehimers, lives with me and I care for her. She is so bad off that she is in diapers and is changed several times each day so, I use the bags for that issue. I also use the plastic bags to give away produce that we grow and for lunches that I send my dh and ds to work with each day. Not to mention many other things. They really come in handy in my home, as bad as that sounds, they do. Hopefully one day I will be in a position that I no longer need to rely on these plastic things and can totally make the switch. Good post...........Kitty

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11:40, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 .. Posted by babysteps

I have been suprized by the number of cloth bags I could come up with just by looking around the house. I have also purchaced them at garage sales. My favorites however, come from www.reusablebags.com. Christine

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02:07, Tuesday, June 17, 2008 .. Posted by gabbie427

This is a great post. Wal-Mart in our area and a few other stores have some canvas type bags for sale at the check out counter, but they are really flimsy and not worth much. I do have two canvas totes that I use to carry books when going to the library and sand toys in when we go to the park with our little one, and they would be perfect for carrying groceries.

I am kinda like Kitty on this one though. I use those plastic bags alot! At least I recycle and reuse them! LOL I use them in all my small trash cans in all bathroms, among other things. When I get a large stash of them, and they seem to overflow the container they are stored in, I take them to the local thrift shop, so they can use for people who make purchases there.

God's Blessings,
Amy Jo