So I started using cloth grocery bags today

I shop at a small local NJ/Eastern PA/NY boroughs grocery chain called Foodtown when I can't get what I want from Target. Small stores, real friendly. They stress paper bags and cloth sacks. I bought a couple, $.99 cents each. I cannot believe how much I put in just two.

And it felt good not to stuff more plastic bags in a plastic bag to return for recycling.

One small step.

I can't for the life of me understand why everyone doesn't do it. REALLY.

Thanks for the thread, DainBramaged.

I keep them in my car so they're on hand if I'm out.

When I buy one or two items, I always get weird looks for carrying them out by hand instead of taking a bag.

http://www.chicobag.com/shopping.php

I've got one. It's nice!

:spray: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :rofl: :hi:

It feels good not to see all that plastic coming home with me. :thumbsup:

It is amazing how much you can fit in two cloth bags :hi:

Still your's is my favorite nick.

Two tumors in 7 years. It's in my Journal.

It is a good name. It suits me.

by virtue of your delightful humor.

:grouphug"

I'll send you a PM

peace!

that have WWAGD? printed on it in large letters.

The WWAGD? stands for "What Would Al Gore Do?" and it has Al's pic underneath the print.

:yourock: :applause: :applause: :applause:

That is where I got mine. And I bought lots for Christmas presents for my family. Actually, everyone
but one person liked them.

:hug: penelopepoet.com has them for $18 each, $4 less. :woohoo: :woohoo:

Back at you, DB.

:hug:

The ones that the store sells are $3.99 each! I'm going to sew a few more for myself, make a couple out of old tank tops, etc.

Each step helps. Sometimes, even though I tell the bagger the purpose of using the cloth bags, if they have placed some of my groceries in a plastic bag, they take them out and throw the bag in the trash!!! :banghead:

Did you make your own pattern or find it somewhere?

rectangles and folded them once and sewed side seams. Then I sewed a 45 degree angle into the bottom corners. I found some old cotton braided belting and used that to go from the bottom all the way to the top and loop back down to the bottom on the same side. Did the same on the other side. This reinforces the bag and makes it very strong for cans and heavy items like bottles of cooking oil, etc.

fabric stores usually have patterns sales once a month or so, and the patterns will cost about $1. They have patterns for totes in the craft section near the back of the pattern book. That may help if you have ahard time vsualizing how to turn fabric into a tote.

I also like the idea that I recycled old fabric that I wasn't going to use for anything else. Not even children's play clothes like Maria in Sound of Music!

I don't want to spam, so just send me a message if you need the info.

I purchased a few from our Kroger's here in Indiana, last summer. My only problem is that sometimes I forget to bring them w/ me when I shop. So, I hung them on the coat rack by our back door, now I see them before I head to the store. Little things can make a big difference.:patriot:

As soon as I empty the filled ones I return them to the car.

The Bakers (Kroger) grocery clerk didn't understand at first. She did catch on. We used all 3 and cut the waste bags in half. Next trip we will get some more.

K&R!

I always preach about doing more than just buying a gas efficient car. Today was another small step.

:hi:

I turn off or unplug anything that runs that tiny red light even when the appliance is off. That includes my PC, the tv, DVD player, and I even unplug the cable box at night. It is a shame that so many appliances have clock lights you can't stop unless you want to unplug the whole thing. Not an easy thing to do with built-ins.

To drain us of our money. My electric bill two years ago was $45 a month. Now it is $90+ a month unless I have fans on in the summer or it is exceptionally cold and the burner runs a lot.

Gives a 5 cent discount for every plastic bag I don't use. I'm suprised Kroger doesn't have the same policy.:shrug:

Small steps are what it takes.

We've been doing this for years.

I use them for everything now. Makes one feel good.

and remember I left them in the car. Did I mention I hate getting old?

I am supposed to get a five cent bag credit but the cashiers look at me like I am an alien when I tell them I have my own bag.

and they hang them right by the registers so you can't miss them. And 99 cents is a very small price to pay to stop using plastic.

at the store too! I also paid 99 cents. It is a very small price to pay to stop using plastic. I never see anyone else using them. I am hoping to lead by example and become the change I wish to see in the world.

and do all your shopping that way. I've bought 10 gals of gas in the past 6 months.

Blind in one eye, balance sucks since brain surgeries, and hitting my head would be the end.

I miss riding my old Hog. :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry: :cry:

You're definitely excused from two-wheeling.

On the other hand, have you considered a tadpole? They don't require balance or sustained energy, and are fasternhell, if that's an attraction.

I have trained my neck to spin around like in the Exorcist. :rofl: :rofl: :rofl:

I will miss those early Sunday rides on warm days.:cry:

Good for you! Mine work great, when I remember to bring them to the danged store. ;)

...just put the stuff back into the basket, and then into them.. easy to carry in :)

I have a bunch of clothes baskets in the basement, doh. I use a canvas bag for my clothes now because I can throw it down the stairs into the basement to wash instead of trying to carry my wash.

when I ask the bagger to just put the items back in the cart. I keep boxes in my car
that I use over and over again for my grocery shopping.

:thumbsup:

.
.
.

I'm not one afraid to "rock the boat"

And seeing all these plastic bags floating around

EVERYWHERE

Taking a few out of circulation is a step

Thanks for the idea

. . . :hi: . . .

There are no baggers, checkers only check and they get to sit while doing so. You have to put it all away in your own bags or baskets (very cool and roomy) or lots of people just stuff everything back in the cart and put it in their boxes in their vehicle.

The last trip back to the States my 6 year old grabbed my arm and was frantic "they're taking our stuff" she was shocked to see a seperate bagger putting our groceries away. After a couple of visits I started using my own bags and it kind of threw the cashier off - hope they end up getting used to it.

plastic bags are the cheapest way for them to get the stuff they sell us out of the store.

I also use cooler bags for my freezer and cold foods. Eco shopping is wonderful.

maybe more people would do this. Or...tax plastic bags, like cigarettes! All taxes would go to protecting the environment. We sure would see a drop in plastic bags.

Don't let "you know who" see that you wrote this or you're f***ed...

A small but positive incentive, anyway.

those little bags are, not to mention how much they hold! The trick is to remember to bring them! Here's what I do, after they've been unpacked, I condense them own and put them right by the front door. They are the last thing I see when I'm walking out the door. It helps me!

I love them.

only mine are blue. I LOVE my go again bags. I love that they are so sturdy , hold a lot , and are easy to carry

They hold a remarkable amount - and pack so nicely, too. It's great to leave with 4 completely, neatly packed bags, instead of zillions with 3-4 items in each.

My only problem is remembering a bag for those small runs of "forgots". I try to just not use a bag at all then if possible.

Buy a mess of them now. I know the S&S ones were great at first and at 99cents. Then they got rid of those and went with smaller ones for slighter more each. I wished I'd stocked up on more of the original ones.

they don't get them too heavy.

then I won't forget. And yes, they hold a shitwagon (TY George Carlin) of groceries.

:toast:

I need more for when I do a big shop. And I'll take them to Target from now on too!

I take sprouts over to the other store I use just to fuck with them. Heh.

in the trunk and I don't have to worry about what to do with all those plastic bags.

Those drive me nuts!

:kick: & Recommended

however i've sort of been made to feel like i'm being a nuisance

the spinner/carousal thingy is set-up for THEIR plastic bags, not for my sturdy canvas bag

i feel like i'm in that visa commercial where everything stops...

oh well if a bit of embarrassment is all i experience to save the earth, bring it on

:D

Carousel? I haven't seen those in years!
The store I frequent has a flat platform right next to the cashier
that he/she uses to place my canvass bags. The plastic and paper
are at the end of the 'runway' stall for the baggers to use.

I know, we're not supposed to enter the Evil Empire.......

no one should have a problem with it.

I have a choice not to go there, so I don't but not everyone has that choice.

:hi:

but then I started explaining why I was using them. If I get them to think, good. If I get them to change, even better.

I'm going to get a new batch at the Green Festival this year and start giving them out to people.

http://www.make-it-easy.com/opentot2.html

http://www.ehow.com/how_2116982_.html

http://www.morsbags.com/

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SImSn6XeNjg&feature=user


I love the intertubes!

No politics, just a lot of fun. A simple step, and so many people who do the same. We're saving a lot of plastic and a lot of paper. The A&P by me had stopped offering paper for a long time, and then a couple of weeks ago, paper bags showed up again, but they keep them UNDER the counters, so they must pay more for them.

It looks a lot like this, only with cloth handles
instead of the flowery strap:



The pockets are very handy for small items, carrying my shopping list, etc.
And since I'd already gotten my money's worth from the pants,
the bag was basically FREE, except for some thread and my time.

Simple instructions for making such a bag are here:
http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/bluejeanbookbag.htm

Living in a third-floor condo and needing to be careful with my back, I have to keep one of those folding carts in my trunk for if I have more than a bag or two at one time anyway. And I'm a big soda drinker, so awhile back I just stopped putting the 2-litre bottles in bags altogether. They go back into the cart in the store after scanning and I put them in the trunk loose. It's actually easier to stack them in my cart when they're not bunched together two to a bag anyway. Same thing with cartons of juice and other large, heavy items. It leaves the bags for smaller items and I don't need as many.

I also found a large tapestry tote with wheels that folds down to a nice compact size a couple of years ago. It's great to take to places like flea markets and craft shows because it isn't heavy to carry early-on and as I start accumulating things, I can forego bags at those places, too. It's easier to let that follow me around on wheels with my "finds" inside than to juggle a bunch of bags that I'll just have to drag to a recycler anyway.

I picked-up some canvas and some faux suede off a clearance table at the fabric store to make a few custom bags for myself and my sister. I can put some fun appliques on them and it won't feel uncomfortable to carry them into a store with a competitor's logo on them. I don't know why that bugs me, but it does, and they'll solve that, as well.

Mine are from the co-op I belonged to before I moved (there isn't one -yet- where I live now). I actually make it a point to smile and point out where the bags are from, and that co-ops are publicly owned.

cold stuff. Many stores have them for sale. Not expensive. Summer is just
around the corner. z

Quite aside from the ecological advantages, they're unbelievably practical. I use the ones with the long straps I can hang on my shoulder, so I can free up my hands for house keys, etc. And I don't have to worry about the bottom of the bag letting go and baptizing by door-step/floor with spaghetti sauce and eggs.

I have four of them for my neighborhood supermarket and it's amazing that I also take fewer trips to and from my apartment when carrying groceries from my trunk. I love them.

I've recently noticed I'm not the only one carrying them into the store with me, it makes me feel good that more people are "getting it". The cashiers are also now asking if you want to buy the bags if you don't have them (as I didn't on a recent, small, spur-of-the-moment trip).

It helps that I shop at Aldi and Save A Lot where they charge for grocery bags. I sometimes use boxes for heavier items such as cat litter.

I bike to and from the grocery store quite frequently, and plastic bags are a disaster. I've lost track of the number of times I've had to chase bottles and boxes down the street when one of the bags failed.

and gave a couple to all of my sisters,and friends. MY daughter in law takes one home with her every time she visits LOL/

I just took a short break .

And because cloth bags are such a good idea!!!

:bounce:

It's a really fun thread. I never realized how such a small effort was shared by so many.


Martha says

It's a good thing

Welcome! I love them.

I find them SO much more practical and comfortable and easy to carry than a zillion little flimsy plastic bags. I do my grocery shopping--as indeed I do everything--by walking and public transportation, so a lot of my shopping decisions are based on weight, and wear and tear on my shoulders and arms. :)

I love them so much!

Great for picnics, trips to the library or DVD rental store, etc,etc.

I roll one up into my coat pocket when I know I'll need to carry something later...

Thanks for all you do!

The only problem is since I don't drive I have to make sure the baggers don't over pack them, because they hold a LOT. I generally keep a folding canvas tote with collapsable wheels in my messenger bag, though, in case of that.

One small step, indeed! :hug:

NO ONE on my ignore list has appeared, NO ONE. What does that tell you? And so many people who have taken this step, which makes me proud of DU. People I have never seen post anywhere else proud of the small steps they take to make it a better world.

That's a LOT of paper and plastic bags we're saving.

What a fine way to start the first day of Spring!

This is really encouraging. :)

get the RIFD chips in the stuff so they could just scan the bag all at once, that would be great.

It takes a cashier's job away. I still refuse to use that self serve register machine, cuz I'm afraid they'd get rid of one more cashier, and then it will break, and nobody will be left to check us out and they'll be homeless and their kids will be constipated from eating government cheese and... :crazy:

and they have to have an attendant nearby because they fuck up so often. I refuse to use them too, and have seen many people who try to use them in the local A&P just walk out when the register keeps insisting they "put their items in the bag holding area" or "put your money in the bill receptor".

So if you want to shop there, you need to bring your own bags. We started using cloth bags a few months ago. And one small step is huge.

I live 5 floors up in a condo. The canvas bags can be thrown over my shoulder, making it easier to carry up. Those plastic ones can cut into my fingers when carried for more than a couple of minutes. I still get one or two plastic bags a month for my bathroom trash can, but that's about it.

My friend and I went to Costco about a month ago, and we didn't have them, so we just loaded up my trunk instead of getting one of their big boxes. She asked to borrow them, so she can get her stuff home, and I asked her if she'd wash them, since I got steak blood on one of them and it stained. She agreed.

I still haven't gotten them back.:cry:

It took me a few weeks to remember to take the things in with me every time I entered a store, but it's finally become a habit. I've got two large nylon bags, two large hemp bags, a thin nylon bag that tucks away in my purse, and a large stylish bag that I take with me if I have to (EW!) shop at a mall or department store. There's been a few weekends when I've run so many errands that they've all been filled! I also use the big bags to take stuff to Goodwill and to haul books to and from the library. After a while I'm sure that you'll find many additional uses for yours!

If you find that you would like some other varieties, here's a couple of resources: www.reusablebags.com and http://stores.ebay.com/Home-on-Third-Street_Bags_W0QQcolZ2QQdirZQ2d1QQfsubZ19337824QQftidZ2QQtZkm

here... www.reusablebags.com

They have some nylon ones that fold up into a tiny little 2 or 3 inch pouch (making them easy to keep in the glovebox or elsewhere in the car, or purse or pocket!) AND they also fit onto the racks that stores use to hold and pack the plastic bags - making it easier for the baggers to use them. They have tons of different styles on that website, but I think those will work best for me.

I can't wait to use them!

Lots of other great ideas on this thread. The pattern for crocheting a bag MADE FROM THE WRETCHED PLASTIC BAGS is a fantastic idea - if you are crafty-abled (which I am NOT!)

Love this thread! :thumbsup:

Those are real strong looking bags, couldn't help but add the Coyote cartoons.

:rofl:

And your cartoons were the first thing that came to my mind when I first saw them too!!! :D

I just ordered two sets of the ACME Workhorse bags - 3 bags/4th one free - so I'll have 8 bags in all. I also decided to order a SIGG bottle for each of my kids. No more drinking out of plastic sipper bottles. Yay!

Would like to get SIGGS for myself and hubby too, but didn't have the funds for quite all of that (plus they were out of the design I wanted). Hopefully, I can get them before too long.

And because it's such a good idea.
Thanks for starting it Dain Bramaged.

I left the sarcasm smiley off of the Martha Stewart post.

:smoke:

I use the net-like string bags. Some grocery story clerks don't like them, but I say there's a war going on to steal the petroleum that makes the plastic bags. When I get out to my bike, I pack what I can into my pack, strapping it onto my bike rack. Those items that wouldn't survive a bungee cord dangle in the string bags, which tie nicely onto the bungee cords.

I used to have a fabric bag left over from my paper-delivering days, which I started using for groceries once I moved to a place where stores were within walking distance.

I could fit four grocery bags into that one over-the shoulder sack (with a nice, wide strap that didn't dig into my shoulder, and rivets for strength at the seams). Before I'd reclaimed it my sister had been using it as a "going to the beach" bag, and it fit enough for several people's stuff.

I lost it in an accident and haven't been able to find anything quite like it since. (damn!)

with wide handles. Heavy duty and capacious.

Not sure of the price, but they last forever.

Real Big Bag:

http://www.dharmatrading.com/rbb.html

...except my old bag had one side overly-long, to act as a flap to cover the contents (which helped stabilize things, or keep some things out of the sun or rain), and was a bright (if faded) safety-orange, which made it easier to find even when it was folded up between usages.

I had a bag like that when I delivered papers. Many, many years ago.

The local Brookshire's Bros. Grocery store chain sells reusable bags for a buck. We've bought about 5 and use them whenever we can. We also recycle the plastic ones we do use.

Generally I have to carry loads of goods and kids up stairs after I shop...

Also plastic bags fit the diaper champ:


I also use them for my bathroom garbage can...

Really well and I cant afford their 'special bags'... when I have a huge stock of plastic at home Ill ask for paper

it's hard with babies and not being a rich Rethuglican.

:hug:

and this time I used my S&H Green points (LOL) I remember when my Mom used to collect S&H Green and Plaid stamps, what a pain in the ass.

:thumbsup: