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Using reusable bags.  

post #1 of 81
4/22/08 at 9:49am
Thread Starter 
Do you take your cloth bags to places like Target, Khols, Walmart? Anywhere that uses a plastic bag? why do somepeople only think they have to be used at the grocery store? Is this the "trend" part of it speaking?
post #2 of 81
4/22/08 at 9:59am
I use my cloth bags in every store I go to. I still get odd looks/comments from the cashiers, but I don't mind.

I've only ever had trouble once, at Kohls. The cashier told me that it was store policy that everything had to leave the store "in a bag". I told her that I would just tuck it into my bag. She then backpeddled and said "oh, in a KOHLS bag". I didn't want to hold up the lengthy line so I just accepted the darn bag. I should have tossed it back inside the door when I left

I think that more and more people are catching on to bringing their own bags. The more often others see me use mine the more likely they'll start as well!
post #3 of 81
4/22/08 at 10:00am
*double post
post #4 of 81
4/22/08 at 10:07am
I bring my bags anywhere I need bags. I think they get used at the grocery store most of the time b/c that is where many people use the most bags. Target and Walmart both sell reusable bags for $.99 now.

I hope that the "trend" continues and everyone stops using papaer and plastic shopping bags. It is better for the enviornemnt and the economy.
post #5 of 81
4/22/08 at 10:15am
I take 'em everywhere I might need a bag. Grocery shopping, book store, target, malls, thrift store, the lirbrary. I try to avoid plastic bags like the plague. I find I have to be really outspoken and vigilant to make sure they don't put my stuff in a bag, and if they start to use a bag and I correct them, that they don't then throw that bag away. It's a good idea to get one that can fold up real small and keep it in your purse.
post #6 of 81
4/22/08 at 11:58am
I'm very happy to say that, after years of being an oddball with my own bags in every store in town, I'm starting to see people with their own bags everywhere I go. Used to be, the only place I saw reusable bags besides my own was at the natural grocery or the co-op. Now I see them at the regular grocery, Target, Costco, etc. Yay!
post #7 of 81
4/22/08 at 4:40pm
I've brought them into Target occasionally, but honestly I forget most of the time. In Ikea, they actually charge you for bags- you can buy a reusable bag for 60 cents or so, or pay 10 cents for a plastic "disposable" bag. The last time I was in there, we'd been to the mall (and I'd stupidly forgotten my cloth bags in the car) but we were able to fit the Ikea merchandise into my other plastic bags from the mall and didn't need to purchase any more bags.

The fact remains that I do "non grocery" shopping so rarely that I'm just not in the habit of bringing my bags with me, like I do when grocery shopping. And when I'm at the thrift store, they use ordinary garbage bags (clean and new of course!) that I reuse at home, so I don't feel bad about taking those bags at all.
post #8 of 81
4/22/08 at 4:54pm
I take my bags to the grocery pretty regularly, but I rarely take them to other types of stores. Mostly I just plain don't remember to do so. Or I am going to buy just one thing, and end up buying more than I expected (Target!!). Or I just go to browse and end up buying someting (bookstores!).

It's on my mental to-do (things in life to feel guilty about) list, but that list just keeps getting longer.

I did start volunteering at Meals on Wheels, and we actully use the plastic bags to bag up the hot meals with the mik, bread and fruit as we carry them up to the houses - so I do have a good way to reuse those plastic bags I do end up with.
post #9 of 81
4/22/08 at 7:05pm
If you have trouble remembering your bags, I find it helpful to keep one bag in the car at all times. That way, if I make an unexpected stop, I have it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by lunar forest View Post
I find I have to be really outspoken and vigilant to make sure they don't put my stuff in a bag, and if they start to use a bag and I correct them, that they don't then throw that bag away.
Ooh, that drives me CRAZY! Luckily, it's only happened twice. But still. In both cases, I said "If you're just going to throw it away, give it to me and I'll recycle it for you." They were pretty flustered, but I don't care.
post #10 of 81
4/22/08 at 7:07pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Teensy View Post
It's on my mental to-do (things in life to feel guilty about) list, but that list just keeps getting longer.
Oh, and I wanted to say...don't feel guilty! We all do the best we can with the information and energy and resources we have at the time.
post #11 of 81
4/22/08 at 10:46pm
I keep my bags in the back of my car. I have not been in the habit of bringing my bags into other stores, but I now have some bags that fold up and I keep in my purse. Now I always have them with me! I feel so much better using them.
post #12 of 81
4/22/08 at 11:21pm
It's interesting how habits are created - and uncreated.
In Europe, we never went shopping without a bag (they charge you for it). Now, after 9 years in America and getting used to the "paper or plastic" question, I have to make a mental note each time I enter a store to take my bags with me. More than once, I forgot. So I asked the cashier to just put the groceries back into the shopping cart, which so far all of them did. Then I put the groceries in my bags in the car.
post #13 of 81
4/23/08 at 8:46am

I use the Green bags style of bags for the grocery store

and I don't usually forget them because I need to bring several.

I use Chico bags with the carabiner on them to remember to bring bags other places like the Flowers Bakery Thrift store, my local Farmer's Market, the library, Wal-Greens where I get my son's prescription filled, etc.

Each of my children picked out a favorite color of Chico bag so they carry one too which I may borrow if I forget my own bag or if mine is already full!

Sincerely,
Debra, homeschooling mom of 4 ages 11, 10, 8, and 4
post #14 of 81
4/23/08 at 10:17am
I take my bags. For me, I started doing it because the plastic ones were a PITA as they always seemed to rip and tear. (We formerly reused the plastics for trash bags) My grocery store purchased reusables stand up nicely and I end up with few bags to carry. No push back yet.

I purchased the reusables as soon as my local store offered them. They sold out immediately and have restocked may times. I am shocked how they have taken off like wildfire in my area.
post #15 of 81
4/23/08 at 12:31pm
I do most of my grocery shopping at a store that is used to seeing cloth bags so I ALWAYS remember them there. When I go to a regular grocery store they give met he hardest time about it! Some of the cashiers have even acted personally offended if I didn't want their "free" plastic bag! So I tend to not even bother with reusable bags at typical grocery stores, isn't that sad? When I lived in MD I used to always bring my bags to the normal grocery store and they were great about it.

I do try to use them at other stores too. I'm never questioned about it at a bookstore (new or used). Target is hit or miss. They're usually pretty good with me using my own, but I went there with a friend, who bought their cloth bags and the cashier refused to put her stuff in them!! She insisted that everything had to be in a target bag. Ugh. After explaining it to her three times we finally gave up and accepted their plastic bags.
post #16 of 81
4/23/08 at 2:36pm
I take my bags everywhere, even to the mall. I've had a couple of run-ins with cashiers, but no biggies. I have the green and black grocery bags and I also have canvas totes. And I keep one or two mesh ones in my purse at all times.

As soon as I'm done unloading groceries, I hang the bags on the door and put them right into the trunk for the next time.
post #17 of 81
4/24/08 at 1:23pm
I take my sturdy bags everywhere

I've also got two small canvas bags that I keep in my purse for those unexpected quick trips.
post #18 of 81
4/24/08 at 1:30pm
Our local wal mart gave away one free cloth bag per person last weekend. I added it to my Wild Oats and Kroger bags. Every store I go in I bring a bag, and I don't get weird looks anymore. Even Petsmart!
post #19 of 81
4/24/08 at 1:49pm
I use reusable bags or bins in almost all the stores that we shop at. I don't often shop besides grocery/market stuff, but they work anywhere. Reusable cloth bags are so much stronger and more useful than the plastic ones! It really does help to try to keep at least one in the car for unexpected trips. I have also occasionally forgotten, and just put the things in the trunk (we live rural, so always drive in for purchases) and unpacked them at home. That is not a great option, though...groceries rolling around!
post #20 of 81
4/28/08 at 2:01pm
How do you all deal with the bagging at places like WalMart where they have the carousel thing? I have some greenbags and some chicobags.

Everywhere else is easy, but when we do big grocery shopping it seems hard to deal with cloth when we have a over-flowing cart of groceries.
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