Green grocery bags - do you?

[DramaQueen]

I have purchased 6 of those fabric bags for groceries because I'm tired of the constant build up of plastic bags, not to mention what this is doing to our landfills. Now, I'm wondering, how many of you have these bags too? They are the best idea to come along in a long time and they hold a lot of groceries. No more plastic for me. How about you?

 

[Callisto in NC]

I have the store brand but I also have cats. I don't know why but the cats seem to love, love, love laying on the bags before I can get them back out to the car and the bags are black so the cat hair shows. And you can't wash them, they just fall apart.

I need something stronger that's generic. I actually heard a cashier say, "oh, yes, I love bagging your groceries in your X store bag instead of ours." It was a social setting, not the store, but I still remember it so I don't like bringing my Bloom bags to Walmart or Harris Teeter. I don't mind at Lowes because they don't have a store brand at the new location yet.

 

[kitchenelf]

I love my green bags too! Mine are a larger kind and I take them everywhere, no matter what store! The whole purpose is to use them, wrong name or not. I still want my raw chicken or leaky meat in a plastic bag before being put in my cloth bag.

Anyone have an alternative to this? I guess I could always use a plastic trash bag and then just use it next after getting home. Double duty, so to speak.

 

[NAchef]

I was thinking about getting them but I would rather have a community recyceling program.

When I lived in a different part of town we had a specific can for items to be recycled. If we had more of this it would help out more than anything. imo

 

[GrantsKat]

I dont use them, BUT Walmart has a box at the entrance of the store to put your plastic bags in for recycling, thats what I do.

 

[Robo410]

we have the green bags

 

[marigeorge]

I have several from one of the stores I shop at. They are so much easier to pack and carry than the plastic bags. And they don't have to clutter up the landfill and take a hundred years to disintegrate.

 

[DramaQueen]

I have the store brand but I also have cats. I don't know why but the cats seem to love, love, love laying on the bags before I can get them back out to the car and the bags are black so the cat hair shows. And you can't wash them, they just fall apart.

I need something stronger that's generic. I actually heard a cashier say, "oh, yes, I love bagging your groceries in your X store bag instead of ours." It was a social setting, not the store, but I still remember it so I don't like bringing my Bloom bags to Walmart or Harris Teeter. I don't mind at Lowes because they don't have a store brand at the new location yet.

I don't think the store cares what name is on your bag as long as you are spending your money in their store. I have bags from several stores and I just grab the first one in the back seat. ​

 

[B'sgirl]

I can recycle my plastic bags at Wal-Mart as well. Plus I use the plastic ones as trash can liners and it prevents me from buying even more plastic to put in the landfill. I wonder though, if everyone used cloth bags, if the prices of food would go down a little because the grocery store wouldn't have to pay for bags?

 

[sattie]

I have around 10 of the bags and use them religiously... a couple of the places I shope give you .05 for each bag you bring in! If I forget my bags, I am sure to recycle those plastic ones or I opt for paper. I use the paper bags to collect junk mail together to put in the recycle bin.

 

[sattie]

I can recycle my plastic bags at Wal-Mart as well. Plus I use the plastic ones as trash can liners and it prevents me from buying even more plastic to put in the landfill. I wonder though, if everyone used cloth bags, if the prices of food would go down a little because the grocery store wouldn't have to pay for bags?

I keep spare trash cans in the bathroom, but no liners. When time to empty (which I do often, I don't wait till it is full), I dump in the main trash and rinse out the bathroom can. I also make a point not to put anything wet in the small cans. I usually take that to the kitchen trash.

 

[GotGarlic]

DH goes to a lot of conferences, so I use the nice canvas bags he's collected from those. I think I have 7 or 8 of them. They're much easier to manage because with the long handle straps, I can hang them from my shoulders.

I think a bigger problem than filling landfills is that plastic bags get loose and get blown into waterways, where they kill animals that eat them - the bags block their intestines. More info, and other reasons not to use plastic bags (except for trash, imo - you gotta use something!), here: Reusable Bags - The Real Cost of "Free"

 

[B'sgirl]

I think a bigger problem than filling landfills is that plastic bags get loose and get blown into waterways, where they kill animals that eat them - the bags block their intestines.

And they get loose in my yard. My house is about two blocks from the local landfill. I end up with a lot of trash in my yard on windy days. Too bad I didn't know that before I bought the house!

 

[Callisto in NC]

I don't think the store cares what name is on your bag as long as you are spending your money in their store. I have bags from several stores and I just grab the first one in the back seat. ​

Well, it's not so much about that, it's about the cat hair on the dark colored bags. You can't wash the bags or they fall apart. That's why I'm looking for better ones that don't cost too much.

 

[GotGarlic]

Well, it's not so much about that, it's about the cat hair on the dark colored bags. You can't wash the bags or they fall apart. That's why I'm looking for better ones that don't cost too much.

Can you vacuum them?

 

[Callisto in NC]

Can you vacuum them?

Nope. The hair weaves into the fabric because the fabric is cheap. I am looking for something that holds up to washing.

 

[GrantsKat]

Just out of curiosity...how much do these bags cost? Im sure I would need quite a few!!

 

[B'sgirl]

I bet they are easy to make, maybe I should go into business. ;-)

 

[sattie]

I got mine here... they were not too bad, it was worth it to me. Then I have picked up freebies along the way. Even my work sent one out to every employee, it was made out of the plastic pvc bottles.

I love my bags... they are heavy duty and can be washed over and over.

 

[GrillingFool]

Turn the cat hair bags inside out to use, then outside in for cat beds at home.

Unless you worry about cat hair on your produce of course.

My problem is that I FORGET THE BAGS AT HOME when I shop.
Just like coupons.