These days, you can't swing a dead cabbage without hitting a reusable bag. The darlings of the environmental movement (totes, not cabbages) are increasingly being provided free or cheap to green-minded consumers. And they serve a good purpose: four or five reusable bags, used at least once a week, can replace the use of 520 plastic bags each year. But if not used for their intended purpose, the bags are hardly an environmental boon. Cotton and canvas bags can require a lotta water and energy to manufacture and may be colored with toxic dyes. Nonwoven polypropylene totes require about 28 times as much energy to produce as standard plastic bags. Bags made from recycled material often cost more than those without. And perhaps most important, shifting ingrained shopping habits is easier said than done, as anyone knows who has forgotten to tote their totes to the store. That may take a while to change; as one marketing professor points out, it's not yet taboo to be seen carrying a plastic bag.
source: The Wall Street Journal
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Comments
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featherfish81 Posted 6:43 am
26 Sep 2008
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nycowboy Posted 6:59 am
26 Sep 2008
Stay away from cheap reusable bags like the lightweight polypropylene reusables. They probably will end up be ripped or otherwise. Real cloth bags are only little more expensive, especially if you get them printed with some store logo.
Occasionally, I will get disposable plastic bags when I forget my bag, or buy more then I have bag space for. I save those bags, and almost always use them for the occasional trash bag or when camping. It's nice to just be able to burn 'em when they get dirty.
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Tasermons Partner Posted 5:02 pm
27 Sep 2008
Their cashiers, not CEOs. They have no real loyalty to the store, it's just the one that they got the job at for the time.
They understand most people shop at differet store. Most of THEM shop at different stores, for that matter.
They won't worry or get upset if they see a bag from a rival store. Afterall, you're shoppin' in their store now, aren't ya? ;)
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Pathos Posted 8:04 pm
27 Sep 2008
On getting people to actually reuse them... (And let's face it, we all forget them sometimes.)
The trick is to start phasing out the disposable ones, even in baby steps. When it gets to where there are stores that don't carry them at all--even if it's just indie bookstores and corner convenience stores--people will remember their reusables. So, if you find yourself in a store where you can't get a plastic bag... Compliment them on it!
If we could get a tax on the disposables, that'd be even better, but we're a ways off from that being possible, at least in this country.
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featherfish81 Posted 5:29 am
28 Sep 2008
Oh, and the best way I've found to remember them is just to keep them in my car. If I forget, I try to use paper, or just carry the groceries without a bag.
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laelyn Posted 1:13 pm
28 Sep 2008
No one cares if you have a bag from a different store, it's all about saving on the disposables and they know it.
It will take time but the "bring your own bag" gang is slowly growing and that's a good thing!
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Tasermons Partner Posted 6:49 am
30 Sep 2008
Also keep some spare bags in the car just in case I'm already out, didn't think I'd go to the store, but end up there anyway.
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