Our grocery store has decided to start charging for bags - Page 2

[philomom]

Think of the litter you won't see once the flimsy plastic bags are out of use. No bag "kites" in trees. No bags rolling along the roadways in the breeze.

I have a set of cloth bags. My single friend uses a large basket. Just find something that works for you.

[notwonamesalike]

Originally Posted by insahmniak

Aww. I'm sorry this feels like another squeeze to you.

Can I ask you what they're charging?

I'm personally all for the idea and wish we had it here where we live. But I do also understand financial strain. Once you get in the habit of being prepared, though, you probably will forget how it was to do it any other way.

What we do: we go to the store ONCE a week (we do this to keep ourselves out of the stores, too, which helps our bottom line) and each time we have a routine of bringing a large, clear rubbermaid storage tub with us that we've decorated with Recycle labels. You can keep it in your trunk if that helps. The cashiers love it - so much easier to load than bags. And what's more, no more food escaping the bags or plastic handles to fish for in the trunk. Just grab the box and go. I also carry a nylon bag that cinches down in it's own pocket in my hand bag. I thought it was a gimmick, but someone gave one to me so I stuck it in my bag and wouldn't you know, I used it three times in one week for all kinds of things. I love it.

I hope you find a way to frame this so that it's positive for you. It really is a positive thing for the planet and our lives.

I love the rubbermaid idea!

I'm going to tell DH about it!

[timneh_mom]

When I was in Germany in 2001, I found they charge for bags there too. It's definitely a good incentive to reuse or bring your own. Fortunately they had cloth tote bags available too for about 50 cents at the time. I still use mine.

[retro.mama]

When I bring my canvas bags to the grocery store I get a lot of "attitude" from some cashiers (and I usually bag most of the order). I hope with more exposure to people bringing their own they will understand how much they can hold and how to pack in them. Sometimes when I'm unpacking at home, I find that they packed the bags with 3-4 items like they would with a plastic bag, and I end up with almost as many plastic bags if I hadn't brought my own.

[cloudswinger]

My little asian grocer uses cardboard boxes if you forget bags. And every grocery store is awash in boxes all the time anyway. They're the only place I know of that does that, but they also reuse bags to bag their customers stuff. Like they don't buy new bags to give away, but use up bags from other places.

[KariM]

When I lived in Colorado back in the late '80s the grocery stores would give US cash for bringing in our own bags instead. It was a nickel a bag.

Around here some of the stores do charge for bags - like the Save-A-Lot store. It's a nickel a bag. They'll let you take boxes (from the shelf stocking) for free, though. We just always keep some bags in the car, though. I hate storing cardboard for recycling as it takes up so much space.

[KariM]

If you have old t-shirts and can sew, here's a thread that shows how to make grocery bags from old t-shirts!

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=855512

[stretchmark]

Wow, all these stores charging for bags is really a wake up call for me.
I just wish that when they do start charging the price of food would come down a bit too but I doubt it.

I wish the cloth bags they sold around here were 1$.

[llamalluv]

Originally Posted by KariM

If you have old t-shirts and can sew, here's a thread that shows how to make grocery bags from old t-shirts!

http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=855512

Hey! It's my thread!

My husband collects a TON of canvas and nylon bags from his IRWA conference every year. And scratch paper pads. And pens. Gobs of pens. (Sure, some of them say "Got Poop?" on them...) We've started using those since they are so sturdy. I hate the feel of plastic bags, and clerks don't know how to pack a paper bag any more. More than a few times I've gotten an eye-roll or sigh when I asked for paper. :

[Phantaja]

Is there an Ikea near you? They have awesome reusable bag for 59 cent and they're HUGE. I can pack over a weeks groceries in two.

[Jecca]

My thoguths are if you purchase a few bags (cloth) you are saving huge, esp if the grocery store shages for bags whihc i personaly think they all should, its huge waste, most people dont reuse them. Its great to reuse them for trash but, we barely use any trash bags here, we compost and recycle and it doesn't leave much for the actual trash can.
it's not hard or expensive to start composting and you cna do it anywhere.
I take my own bags everywhere i go shopping and it's not hard to remember them as long as you make it a routine, i shop, fold my bags back up put them with the car keys and driop them in the car the next time i go anywhere. now i just need to get a second set for my husbands car and we will be all set.
Its really for the better of the world and buying the stores cloth bags or paper will not really cost much in the gran scheme of things.

[karliyanchus]

usually grocery stores have lots of cardboard boxes lying around. some even stack them by the checkouts like costco. if you see someone restocking, just grab one or two as you are going around the store and use those to get the stuff out to your car. it's no more waste, as they had the box anyway. and they shouldn't charge you for that.

[2crazykids]

Awesome!

About time!

It might be a temporary hardship for some, but in the long run it's going to make a huge difference in our world and our children's world.

In the past I've given away some canvas bags to people to get them started in the process of changing their habits. Some get it, some don't. But we will all need to soon regardless if we like it or not. This world is going to be a very different place in the years to come!

OP? Would you mind telling me the name of the store and it's location? I am working with my local grocery store currently and have posted some signs with their name and blessing on them indicating the possible change to "charge for plastic." I would love to give them some more encouragement in the process! TIA.

[stretchmark]

Hi again, Just to clarify, they don't use plastic at my store. They use only paper. They do have tiny plastic bags to wrap your ice cream and cheese in water so it doesn't leak all over the place.

My town is thinking of banning plastic bags outright.

I do have an IKEA bag from my mom and I'll start using that too.

The store is Cid's food market in Taos, NM. Julia Roberts references it on Oprah.

[greeny]

We just bring a bunch of canvas bags with us. Lucky for us, dh and I both went to lots of trade shows for our jobs (pre-kids), where they used to give out stuff galore, including those bags. For some reason we saved almost all of them, and now we're really glad!

But our grocery stores also sell them, usually for $.99 or less a piece.

[amyamanda]

Our grocery store (co-op) is stopping plastic bags as of Earth Day (next week). They will have a bag tree where people can borrow bags if they forget one, and they already have a good system for storing boxes so people can use them for groceries.

They have a US-made supplier of canvas bags that they're selling very cheap, $4.99/bag regular and $3.99/bag special this month. I have picked up a bunch of canvas bags at yardsales, etc, which I've been using for years.

I can't bring myself to ask for a new paper bag at our co-op anymore. LOL. Which makes it difficult for me because I use them for recycling (over and over, but eventually they break). I need a paper-bag-sized permanent solution for my recycling - I was even toying with the idea of buying a half-dozen plastic wastebaskets to use over and over instead of paper grocery bags. I'm not sure I want to "invest in" new plastic, though. What is an (environmentally conscious) girl to do?

Count me among those who think they should charge you to use a bag. I think that sends a much stronger message, and is more appropriate, than rewarding people for using cloth. The cashiers never remember to credit my cloth because I'm still bagging when I'm done paying.

When I lived in Finland 15 years ago, everyone used reusable bags. They charged for new bags in the store. It was the first I'd ever encountered that. They had these wonderful nylon bags that fold very small and the bottom folds in half like a little leatherette purse and zips shut around the bag, so you have a wallet-sized thing to carry around that zips open to grocery-bag sized. Very smart. Wish we could get them here.

[HopelessPoet]

You girls have inspired me to go NO PLASTIC!! I don't think we can go 100% right away but starting tonight we're going to use as much canvas as we can find!

[Aura_Kitten]

I, too, am sorry you're feeling the pinch ... but I'm glad stores are doing this. They've done this in parts of the UK, as well as Ireland, for awhile now with very good results.

I stopped lining our kitchen trash can with plastic bags and just dump it in the dumpster outside, no bag, to avoid the cost when possible. And for grocery bags, I use re-usable cloth bags... yes, an expense but one that isn't recurring. They pay for themselves in no time. Boxes work too, in a pinch, and stores will give those for free many times... just ask the store manager if he'll set a few aside for you next delivery day.

[Danielle283]

Glad to hear that, hopefully it gets more people into reusable bags. Our Commissary just started selling them for .79 and we bought some. We use them every time, but have only seen 1 other person using them there. I wish more people were doing it too because of they strange looks we get! We used them in Target the other night and the cashier stuck them in a plastic bag. She was still scratching her head confused when we told her that no we wanted the stuff in those bags.

[Norasmomma]

I love the plastic tub idea, I am actually purchasing my bags, my local store is offering canvas bags for the great price of .99 a piece, I am going to buy 10. I already have a huge one that I love for using. The plastic tub just seems so practical and easy to use, except lots of times I have dog food or other stuff in the bottom of the cart.

I just heard that the city of Seattle is going to start having stores charge for bags, but IDk if they've implemented that yet.