Tips for Reusing and Recycling Paper and Plastic Shopping Bags
What to do with the plastic bags you have
Ok, so you already knew that throwing away plastic bags wasn’t such a hot idea, so you’ve been stashing them and anxiously awaiting some chance to reuse them. Maybe you have been using them when you take the dog for a walk, or when you clean out the litter box – which does constitute one reuse before they end up in the landfill, and that’s better than nothing. But here are a few more ideas on how you can extend the life of the bags you have (or even keep them out of the landfills completely) once you have decided to switch to inexpensive, eco-friendly reusable shopping bags.
1. Stash them in your trunk (or under the seat if you don’t have a trunk) and reuse them to carry groceries and other goods until they can’t be used anymore. For most plastic bags, you should be able to get several uses out of them before they begin to tear and are no longer good for carrying things. Then, once they are no longer usable for the original purpose, use them when you take the dog for a walk.
2. If you are at all crafty, this is a great way to keep your plastic bags out of the landfills. Did you know that you can actually create fabric and beads – or even reusable shopping bags – out of your plastic bags? It’s much easier than you think. The easiest way to make crafty creations is to cut the bags into strips and then braid or weave them into a trendy, eco-friendly handbag or a sturdy re-usable shopping bag. A slightly more time consuming project – but well worth the effort – is to fuse the plastic bags you have on hand into fabric that can then be made into a super-sturdy reusable bag. For a tutorial on how to fuse plastic bags, visit Etsy Labs. And, the added bonus here is saving the money you would have invested in reusable shopping bags.
3. Use them as trash can liners – and not just once. They can keep your can clean and are easy to dump into your outside trash and then reuse.
4. Carry them with you when you travel to use as your “dirty clothes bag.” Then, when you return from your trip, rinse, dry and store them for next time.
5. Use them to cushion items you are shipping. Instead of popcorn (also bad, bad, bad), use, all those plastic bags that are taking up your cupboard space to make sure your item arrives unscathed. If you don’t mind sounding a bit pushy, include a note asking the recipient to reuse them again.
6. Find a store near you that offers recycling for plastic bags and take your whole stash.
What to do with the paper bags you have
If you have been saving your paper bags as well, there are lots of handy things they are good for that will extend their life, or keep them out of the landfill for good.
1. The obvious first option is to reuse them for your groceries and other goods. They likely won’t hold up for as many reuses as the plastic bags, but remember even one reuse is better than none.
2. Use them to cover textbooks and shipping boxes. This also saves money that you would have spent on book covers or boxes and allows you to reuse boxes at the same time.
3. Crumble or tear them up and use them as cushioning for items you ship.
4. Use them for any of the numerous paper crafts that call for Kraft paper or for fun craft projects with your kids. For tons of ideas on easy crafts using paper bags, visit DLTK’s Paper Bag Crafts for Kids.
5. Add them to your compost bin.
Where to get reusable shopping bags
Reusable shopping bags can be made out of the plastic bags you already own or purchased for about $1 each at most grocery stores, Wal Mart, Fred Myer, Target, etc. But, if prefer a trendier eco-friendly shopping bag, or one that will slip into its own carrying case, here are a few websites that sell great reusable shopping bags.
Green Feet is one of the places where you will find the ChicoBagâÂ?¢, which is one of my favorites and the bag that I keep in my purse for those impromptu stops at the bookstore or market. This is a compact bag that is easy to shove back into its attached carrying case and comes with a hook for attaching to your purse or backpack. It’s very convenient and has saved me many times when I have forgotten to grab a bag out of my trunk. Green Feet sells these great little bags for $5 each or five for $20.
