2007 Plastic Bag Challenge...January Thread

[swampwitch]

Who's in?

The idea is to bring as few plastic bags into your home as possible. Everyone can set their own goals.


I'll start:
I will bring no more than 25 plastic bags into my home in 2007. This is inclusive of my dh's contributions.

1/25
DH brought home a bag from the grocery last night. :

[ItyBty]

Ooooh, I'm down for that. But I'm gonna start counting with tomorrow, cause I forgot my canvas bags today. :

(Although my secondary goal is that I don't toss the bags that do come home, they are used for garbage, kitty messes or dog poop, so they get reused at least)

[swampwitch]

We reuse the bags, too. I got really good at using paper bags last year so we are quickly whittling away at our plastic stash. This year I want to get better at bringing my own bags to the store.

[koru]

i followed you over from the green living tribe!

i'm in....but i can only vouch for myself. there is no way i can "enforce" this with dh because he's....ummmm....absent-minded? he drives me nuts with his non eco-friendly ways. he talks a good talk but has trouble walking the walk. ugh.

anyhoo, what's my goal? i'm going to have to be realistic & say 40. even though i'm getting better at using my canvas bags for groceries (or requesting paper when i forget) there's always those plastic ones that sneak in here & there. i went to goodwill the other day & came home with 2 big plastic bags!? it didn't even cross my mind to bring in my canvas until they were packing it up.

an idea about kitty litter....we keep a lidded container by the box (an old plastic litter container) and scoop it into there.

so....my goal is 40!

[mamalara]

I love it- what a great resolution. I've been using these shopping bags that look like little purses and open into pretty large shopping bags. The thing is- sometimes I forget to grab them on my way into the store- it's the whole breaking of a habit thing that's challenging me. This year, I'm going to give them a hard core workout and see what they are really made of!

[ReuseCrafter]

OK, I'm trailing along from the GL Tribe too, and I'm in. I *thought* that I was fairly good about the plastic bags, having the background I do in environmentalism and the three R's. Unfortunately, since the Green Tribe started I have become soooo aware that there are way more plastic bags in my house than I'd like. Or I should say fortunately, as the tribe is making me more in touch with such things. I can't believe how I've begun to shirk in some areas since I haven't been teaching.

I'm not going to try to vouch for DH's bags yet, but I will hope to show through example, and he'll eventually catch on. 25 sounds like a good number to me.

[linguistmama]

I'll join too! I got some used tote bags at Savers to use. I can't vouch for dh though, he thinks they are weird looking (they're all mismatched) and says he'll be embarressed if I use them when he is with me. He's ok with it at the hfs where they thanked me for using them!

[ItyBty]

Originally Posted by doulalove

an idea about kitty litter....we keep a lidded container by the box (an old plastic litter container) and scoop it into there.

I edited my original post - we used to use em for litter, but now for litter we use Aspen wood chips, and we compost it. Although, I DON'T use that compost pile for veggies or food growing stuff, just flowers. I like that its all natural, and the cats don't mind it, and it doesnt smell funky either.

[sheri123]

I am in too! I had been so good about this since the New Year. I have even refused having my husband pick up take out food so that we could eat in the restaurant and not having any containers or bags to throw away. Well last night we went out and I absent mindly had my very small portion of dinner and some of the special bread wrapped to go. The waiter came over with 3 styrofoam containers in a plastic bag! My stomach turned...I was blind sided!! I felt, in retrospect, that it would have been better to throw the food out than take it home!



Anyway...one bag for me.
My goal 24 for the year.

[Aeress]

Bags...I made this my new years goal. I am buying sacks my bringing veggies/fruits home in. I would like to reduce all plastic bags by 08.
I don't have a number...anything would be less than it is now. I did buy sandwich wrappers that are fabric on one side and plastic on the other so stop using foil.

[hlkm2e]

I'm in! I'm getting pretty good at only using my canvas bags for groceries, I put them right back into the trunk as soon as I finish unloading. But, I often forget to bring them at other stores. My goal is no more than 1 plastic bag a week, so that would be 52 for the year. I hate it when you have leftovers and they put them in styrofoam and then a plastic bag!!

[koru]

39.... . i have to remember to bring my canvas bags into non-grocery stores, as well.

[AngelBee]

:

[Nico DeMouse]

Okay, I'm in...I just stocked my car with big canvas totebags, and stashed a lightweight small one in my purse.

[Catherine12]

Cool idea! Count me in. Goal: use less than 10 bags this month.

[Amys1st]

Originally Posted by doulalove

39.... . i have to remember to bring my canvas bags into non-grocery stores, as well.

this is my issue. I have several chico bags and theyre awesome!!

[***Heather***]

I am so embarassed! I went grocery shopping last Saturday and came home with at least 12 bags. I did buy quite a bit, but still. Today I bought some material so I will be sewing up some cloth bags very soon.

If I go grocery shopping about once a week say, and bring home on average 6 bags per trip, comes to 312 bags a year! I better get moving on those cloth bags!

My goal is to bring home no more than 50 bags total this year.

So far: 13/50 (12 bags from grocery shopping + 1 one bag when I bought the material to make bags!)

[swampwitch]

i've gotten good about no bags from non-grocery stores, it's the grocery store i have trouble remembering bags for! got all the canvas totes i own in the car now! i even remembered to bring glass jars for my bulk items this week!!

[Nico DeMouse]

I stuck a small, thin canvas totebag into my purse. It's been helping for those non-grocery store purchases I forget to plan for. I whipped it out all Walgreens the other day. I'm sure the cleck thought I was weird (who cares, right!) but my husband thought it was great!

[koru]

Originally Posted by Amys1st

this is my issue. I have several chico bags and theyre awesome!!

i ordered some chico bags today! i've been trying to cut down on buying stuff but after hearing so many wonderful things about the chico bags i had to check them out. i decided it was for a good enough reason & ordered 5 (for the price of 4) so i can give some out as gifts.

i was hesitant at first because the dimensions weren't posted online so i figured they were small but they're not! 19" X 19".

i actually turned around for a canvas bag yesterday as i was heading out to trader joe's for a handful of stuff. i knew i would buy more than would fit in my purse & i've been so determined to keep out even a paper bag. why can't i remember to keep a few canvas bags in the car? i guess it's just a new habit to develop.....