Plastic, paper or...? The Bags Poll!

[Nrthwnd]

Lately, there's been a front-page discussion going on in our city and province about the possible reduction, or outright ban on plastic bags at most major grocery stores, etc.

 

There's the regular arguments about "plastic v.s paper", the environmental issues now causing people to decide to "bring their own", or to buy reuseable ones that some stores and markets now offer to their customers, and so on.

 

For us, we do a pretty big weekly shopping trip, and although we bring back the used plastic bags for recycling, we still let them bag in plastic at our Safeway.

 

But just this week, I bought one of their new 99 cent bags for other trips there, for smaller lists to carry home? And I was actually surprised how big the bag was! So, they've got us for one bag so far, heh heh.

 

What do you use/like/prefer in a bag to carry your stuff home? And why?

[thrillrideseeker]

Tony and I always use plastic! Although they have those bags at walmart that is a "Reusable" shopping bag. I was thinking about getting one, but to be able to carry everything we buy we would have to get like 10 bags. So we just stick to the plastic bags.

~Matthew

[downunder]

I bring my own bag.

[Bucket]

^As do I.

 

In Germany, it costs money to use plastic bags at the grocery store. (in attempts to discourage it, due to the fact that it's so harmful to the environment). People should always choose paper, or just bring their own bag!

[cosmic hearse]

Bring my own but there's been times that I've left it at home and in those cases I go paper.

[spaceace12]

I rarely buy groceries, but use plastic and re use the bags for other purposes. Working in a grocery store, I see people use all three. Some people will ask for paper, while others ask for plastic over paper. We sell cheap plastic type bags that people bring in.

[ebl]

Good topic!

 

We use plastic bags here at home because that's what they give us at the local stores. However, I'd prefer the paper ones because they can be recycled, and I use those to collect what my shredder puts out---and then put it out with the recyclables.

 

Really, though, I ought to invest in some good cloth or canvas bags. One of the most annoying things to me is loose plastic grocery bags blowing all over the place.

 

Eric

[Scaparri]

Well, I had always thought that paper bags had fallen by the wayside, if that tells you anything. I generally use the plastic bags for dirty clothes on trips, or as trash bags in smaller trash cans.

[Groteslurf]

So plastic and paper bags still exist

 

Where I live, you don't get any bags at all anymore since a few years. You can buy a re-usable bag at the stores, but that's it.

[pagemaster_b]

I voted plastic as that what I tend to use, though I am not really limited to that. Usually when I'm getting a handful of things from the store (like groceries) I use plastic so I don't have to push the cart or carry the basket out to my car. Sometimes when I am buying a lot of groceries, I'll use paper except for meats, refrigerated, and frozen items--they go in plastic. If it's one or two items, or my backpack is nearby, then I will forgo bags all together.

 

Plastic bags usually get reused as a trash bag or small waste can liner. Paper bags sit around piling up until someone gets around to do a run to the recycle center.

 

When I worked at WinCo Foods, we had a 6 cent refund on each bag reusued. Not very many people used that.

[SharkTums]

We also use plastic, but we reuse all of our plastic bags for other purposes as well so at least they get some multi-use.

[Homer]

My choice of bag is Plastic, you can do anything with those things!

 

I work as a bagger, I prefer plastic. I sadly did a research paper on bags for an environmental science class.

 

It's true that reusable bags are the best, but I see a LOT of customers every day say "I forgot my bags in the trunk, again."

 

Plastic gets too much flack because its made from oil, often polluted and disposed of incorrectly, and its biodegradability. Also, its recently

 

I don't see why many people think Paper Bags are the most environmentally friendly disposable bag. According to the EPA;

*2000 plastic bags weigh 30 pounds, 2000 paper bags weigh 280 pounds. The latter takes up a lot more landfill space.

 

*It takes 91 percent less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than it takes to recycle a pound of paper. It takes more than four times as much energy to manufacture a paper bag as it does to manufacture a plastic bag. Energy to produce the bags (in British thermal units): Safeway plastic bags: 594 BTU; Safeway paper bags: 2511 BTU.

 

Paper bags aren't so environmentally friendly, but they can hold a lot.

[ChrisCrowder]

I let other people do the shopping

 

But if I buy anything small from a shop like a CD or something I usually say no to a bag, as I usually have a rucksack or something. But We usually try to re-use plastic bags at supermarkets, as they don't really do paper bags in the UK. But theres been a big drive where if you re use your plastic bags, you get extra clubcard points and stuff. Yes thats in Tesco.

[scooterdoug]

My wife and I use store-sold reusable bags. However, on those rare occasions where we forget to bring them, we use paper (we shop at Trader Joe's, and they only offer paper) and use the bags to contain all our home paper recycling. If I'm shopping and only get a few items, then I'll just forgo the bag and carry it out in my hands.

-Doug

[larrygator]

Generally plastic - I'll reuse them once as trash can liners.

 

If it's only an item or two I forgo the bag.

 

A couple of times I've brought my backpack with me to the supermarket (it's a 3 minute walk from my place).

[gisco]

Plastic

 

We reuse the bags as trash can liners. You can grab about 6 bags at a time because of the handles making it easier to get from the car into the house.

[WillMontu]

I have reusable bags as well as plastic. If I do get plastic bags, I hold on to them. Every once in a while, I will take them to the grocery store as they have recycle bins.

[Nrthwnd]

^

That's what I do with ours from Safeway, after we've done our once-a-week trip.

 

They have the bins there for bags as well as the bottles, for refunding, so it's really easy to take care of, once a week.

 

I probably should have put a "Combination of..." choice in the Poll when I first posted it. But I didn't think of it, until afterwards.

[Moose]

I currently use plastic, but I am also in the process of shopping for re-usable bags at the moment.

 

http://www.reusablebags.com/

[Bucket]

I've noticed in American grocery stores that they tend to use both paper and plastic bags. They'll put plastic on the outside, and the put a paper bag on the inside. My question is why?????! Also, it seems to be standard to use plastic in grocery stores right? You have to ask or else they will just give you plastic? Maybe it's different on the west coast...

[AllenA07]

^They do? I can't say that I have ever seen that done.

[phazan]

^^They put plastic on the outside so they can carry it easier. It's the same here on the west coast. I don't like doing that though, it's so inefficient in so many ways..

 

 

I used to hate bagging people's grocherys when they asked for paper (I worked at a grochery store). I'm all in favor of keeping the earth clean from plastic bags, but I don't understand why they can't make ALL paper bags with handles. They are such a pain to carry.

[cycamps]

There's only one store in my area that carries paper bags...

[ginzo]

I live on the third floor, so it's definitely plastic for me because it allows me to carry everything up in one trip.

[Rocket Rodder]

I can successfully shop for myself. A guy has to get what he likes nowadays..

 

I'm proud to say I've been using reusable bags... pretty much all my life. Even since before the stores "invented" them.