Recycling plastic bags? Not what you think happens!

[CoyoteMagic]

I've got a dozen bags from Walmart and Food Lion. Even hubby has couple in his car now that we use exclusively. We even take them with us to the farmers market

 

[kodiakchicken]

d.kNow :

I guess there was a report saying the US is selling our recyc to China anyway. . . .

Unfortunately, a lot of what we recycle, especially electronics, goes to China, who of course, has a lot less stringent disposal policies than we have. And ours aren't all that stringent. It makes us feel better when we recycle (I even have to take my stuff to the rec. center) but what really happens to it? I think that's why a lot of people don't bother.

If you know anything about the ocean gyres (currents) everything that gets dumped in China, Japan, etc ends up on our beaches in the western US. So, even if our recycling is going to China, if they are dumping it then it's ending back up on our shores. Just something to think about.

my problem with buying the clothe bags is they expect us to buy are own bags

Why not make your own? That's what I'm going to do. I have endless amounts of fabric that I've acquired for quilting and other projects so I'm just going to whip up a bunch of bags for myself. Fun and unique!​

 

[Bird Hearder]

It Ticks me off really, I'm no Tree Hugger but, You go to Wally world and they want to put one or two items in every bag. the same at the grocery store. Then you get home and you have a trash can full of plastic bags.
I'm Guilty myself for not taking the bags back to be recycled. But I do get on the Checkers for handing me 3/4 empty bags. I'll take items from bags and condense the load. Then leave them with a pile of empty's on the counter.
Can't forget they always ask about putting Milk or potatoes in a bag, WHY? Milk has a handle, Potatoes already in a bag!!
Whew, Ok I'm done.

 

[BearSwampChick]

I know, that's why I usually use the U-Scan.

 

[annmarie]

Someone in an earlier post mentioned that there should be a discount for cloth bags. Most likely there is! I've been using cloth bags for years now, and I don't think I've ever been to a grocery store that didn't give a 3 cent discount per bag. They don't advertise it though, the cashiers have just always known to do so. They're so much nicer to use than plastic or paper, easier to carry and a thousand times stronger (at least!). It's definitely not one of those "sacrifices" that we sometimes feel compelled to make, since they're actually much more convenient.

 

[Guitartists]

I try not to throw them away.... I didn't even know until a month or so ago that they even HAD recycle bins at the stores for the bags. I have a stock pile of old bags that we reuse and find uses for ...example. I made a duct-tape bust of myself for sewing and I stuffed it with old plastic bags

I had enough to stuff it firmly and it was still lightweight enough to move around

 

[BearSwampChick]

DH ordered an archery target from Cabela's that you stuff yourself with plastic bags. The thing is huge, so I've been collecting them for months to fill it. Not just grocery bags, but bread, any kind. Did you know that you can recycle any bag that you can poke your finger through? Such as, newspaper bags, laundry, etc. Of course, now I wonder whether it even matters!

 

[suenrob]

What an eye-opener

and here I always thought I was doing a good thing when I take my bags back to the store!

Guess I will have to break down and buy the cloth ones. I just think the stores should give them away, it's free advertising!!!! Maybe something like spend so much and get a free bag....maybe I will write to Publix

 

[d.k]

* Home depot also sells nylon advertising bags that are BIG and roll up neatly. The closure is a little clumsy and they are orange, of course, but I use them for all kinds of stuff. Hurricane supplies, household pick-ups, etc. . . . You could put almost a week's worth of grocery items in one bag, I think. They're 2 bucks each and sometimes go on sale for 99 cents.

 

[farmgirlie1031]

Quote:
We always get the bags at the store as we could use them as trash bags later. Then the store started giving out 10 cents back per cloth bag you use. It's not much but now we try to always have our cloth bags in the car.