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We’ve talked about ditching plastic, we’ve talked about the joys of re-usable bags, and all that other great-for-the-environment stuff.
Oh, but my darling Homies, I have something to confess… I’m addicted to plastic grocery bags. Before you banish me to Earth-hater jail, allow me to explain…
These plastic bags are an integral part of my waste-management system: I line all my small trashcans in the living room, bedroom, and bathrooms. Once the trashcan is full, I lift out the plastic bag, tie it off, and toss it. This makes it easy to take out the trash AND keeps my cans from getting gross. I also use the bags to clean out my litter box. I can also use them for picking up dog poop.
Recently my neighborhood of West Hollywood implemented a ban on these magical plastic bags. While I love the plastic bag ban on Maui (an island-wide ban was implemented back in 2011) because it keeps plastic bags from floating into the very nearby ocean and killing ocean wildlife — I HATE having it in West Hollywood.
When the ban was first implemented I tried using compostable bags to line my trash cans, but they were too small and didn’t feel strong enough to stand up to my kitty litter dealings. They also didn’t have those handy-dandy handles. I also thought about buying plastic grocery bags on Amazon. But that felt wasteful, knowing full well that there were plastic bags out there, already in circulation.
Store your plastic grocery bags in tiny little folded triangles
While I love that Seattle recently enacted a plastic bag ban, I also have always made heavy use of my plastic grocery bags -- they're... Read more
So while others are thinking and celebrating ways to get rid of excess plastic in their homes, I’m hoarding plastic bags, and getting shipments in the mail of nothing but bags from my mom’s plastic bag-rich home in Texas. Yes y’all, I’m currently IMPORTING plastic bags.
I have a feeling my relationship with plastic bags might be upsetting to some of you. I know my addiction is controversial. But the heart wants what the heart wants. And I feel okay about it, since I’m re-using every single bag, not a one is going to end up in the throat of a fishy or a turtle.
Are there other plastic-lovers in the house? What do you use your plastic grocery bags for — are there uses I haven’t even thought of? Alternately, to those who can’t get their bags off the black market, how are you coping with your bag bans?
I’m with you, Megan! Plastic bags are awesome for pet owners and small trashcan lovers.
I live in the DC area and spend my time in the municipalities with the five-cent-bag-tax, so I occasionally have the bags at home. I do have plenty of reusable bags but sometimes I just need another bag. I popped in to comment now because I just used one of the plastic bags today for a majorly icky clean up job in the apartment ( . . . sick dog . . . enough said). Being able to shove everything in the plastic bag and tie the handles and throw it out made my evening easier.
We use ours for trash can liners, litter box cleaning, diaper disposal when not home, soiled bibs, flatware, and/or infant/toddler clothes so they can be stuffed in the diaper bag until we get home. When we have too many saved we take then to a grocery store bah recycling bin or my husband takes them to work for a charity that collects and recycles them
Megan, my grandmother gave me the biggest, giantest bag stuffed completely full of plastic bags. We also use them for lining the trash cans, but the rate at which we acquire more bags from groceries far surpasses the rate at which we use them for garbage. I’ve thought about taking them to a food bank maybe, but I doubt even they would want THIS many bags. Seriously, if you want my plastic bags, PLEASE TAKE THEM. I had to add my email to comment, so you should be able to contact me if you want some
I’m laughing at this:
“Recently my neighborhood of West Hollywood implemented a ban on these magical plastic bags. While I love the plastic bag ban on Maui (an island-wide ban was implemented back in 2011) because it keeps plastic bags from floating into the very nearby ocean and killing ocean wildlife — I HATE having it in West Hollywood.”
I just looked at google maps. West Hollywood is approx 12 miles to the Pacific Ocean. My house on Maui was 8 miles to the ocean upwind. Downwind, it was 21 miles to the ocean.
I use plastic bags to cover my shoes and carry dirty laundry when traveling. When I get home, those bags become bin liners. We don’t have a large kitchen trash, just three small trashcans around the apt; the bedroom and bathroom get emptied about once a month and the kitchen goes maybe twice a week (honestly, the bedroom trash can often just be dumped into another plastic bag, leaving that liner there for the next month). Recycling and composting help keep the trash down a good bit! They are also great padding for packing and mailing. I do support recycling and reusing plastic bags as much as possible!
I admit I use them as trash bags in our small containers and even to line our compost box. I use them to take home wet swim clothes and to contain my shoes in a suitcase…
But totally ditch them for pet waste! I’m a professional dog walker, so I know what I’m talking about here. I’m super loyal to EarthRated poop bags. Unscented is the best. A box of 900 bags and 2 dispensers will set you back $35 and last forever.
I have never had a leak with these, but I’ve definitely had a grocery bag poop fail, so gross.
They also offer a truly compostable bag made of veggies that can be disposed of in a municipal compost environment where pet waste is accepted.