Better Than You by grainofsaltjd, on Flickr
(No, the bag doesn’t express how I feel, it’s just a funny photo.)
I read No Impact Man this month and, while I’m not ready to take my family quite as far as the author, I found some ideas we could use. I’ve never been a fan of plastic grocery bags. I don’t like the way they feel or sound. They don’t stand up neatly, allowing food to roll all over the back of the car on the trip home. And dealing with the after-use recycling or trash is a pain. So, finding alternatives for the plastic bag issue seemed a reasonable place to start.
Months ago I got some cheap recycled bags like they sell at the store, but after doing some research into how much petroleum is required to produce them, I was unimpressed. They didn’t last long, either, especially with how heavy as the checkers tended to pack them.
So, I took the plunge and bought the cheapest plain canvas bags I could find. I prefer plain because I don’t like my body or belongings to be billboards for any purpose other than those I cherish. (I’m considering applying my very first bumper sticker ever: No Farms, No Food.) Besides, I have a gaggle of creative girls clamoring over the fabric paint to decorate them for me.
Along with the large canvas bags, I got a bunch of smaller canvas drawstring bags for produce and bulk bin purchases. During their first use this week at Kroger, I got eye rolls from the bagger and audible sighs from the checker. I didn’t even ask her to calculate the tare weight (.1 pound) because I didn’t want to cause any additional problems. Of course, at the Turnip Truck, I got no negative reaction at all.
So, now I’m set. But I’m also thinking: these things are going to get dirty. Sure, I can wash them, even bleach them if I want. And of course, I’m going to wash the produce that comes out of them, just like I would any fresh produce. But the process of folding and stuffing them inside each other for space-efficient storage probably would encourage mold and germ growth.
I’ve decided to turn the bags inside out and give them a few hours of fresh air and bright sunshine after each use. I know the ultraviolet light in the sun is a great disinfectant, and the fresh air flowing through the fibers in the bags will dry them thoroughly.
Do you have reusable shopping bags? How do you care for them?
This post is part of Fight Back Friday hosted by Food Renegade.
10 comments
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October 23, 2009 at 9:19 am
motherhen68
I really began using cloth bags this year. I had two I had purchased. Then on Earth Day, the grocery store I shop at gave away 1 bag w/a 50.00 purchase. As I was exiting the store, the lady in front of me placed her “free” bag on top of the trashcan. I watched her walk away. I sent my son to get the bag. Why throw it away when I want it? Then my mom gave me her “free” bag. So now I have 5 bags. I bought two really large ones for the heavy things, like flour and oil, etc. I’m amazed at how much weight these bags hold. My kids do the bagging (it’s one of those bag your own places) and they pile the groceries up in there.
The only concern I have is with leaky meat packages. I bought a reusable bag that seems to be made of plastic. I try to place all the meat into that one bag. I throw it into the wash w/towels. This is the bag that is wearing down the quickest. I guess it’s because I wash it often.
I do have some little drawstring mesh bags I use for produce, both at the store & the farmer’s market. These work out so great because it never fails, the produce from the store is always SOAKING WET when you take it off the bins. The mesh bags help to air it out and it prevents the lettuce or whatever from spoiling instantly.
I stopped shopping @ Wal-mart for many reasons, but one of the main reasons was the cashier’s attitude towards my reusable bags. Since the store we shop has bag your own, no attitude there. In fact, I get nice comments all the time from the cashiers about my produce bags.
I have found I really don’t need more bags than the 7 I have. I think the key is to have different sizes for different needs.
October 23, 2009 at 9:55 am
Jendeis
Love that bag in the middle.
October 23, 2009 at 11:59 am
Laurie N
I just use mostly canvas bags and toss them in the wash when they get dirty. So far they’re holding up pretty well.
October 23, 2009 at 3:49 pm
Jenny @ Nourished Kitchen
Mostly I use canvas bags that we purchased before the polyurethane bags became widely available. For the farmers market my husband and I managed, we hired a local artist to create custom shopping bags out of repurposed vintage fabric and webbing. They are SUPER cute.
October 23, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Heather
Here is a funny story – today I shopped at Food Town, which is a discount grocery store in Houston. I laid my re-usable bags on the belt and unloaded my groceries. I paid and went to my car. When I started unloading my cart I found that my bagger had “bagged” my reusable grocery bags in plastic grocery sacks!! Then I checked my receipt for unecessary charges. I would have gone back into the store, but I had appts. to keep. HAHAH.
October 24, 2009 at 7:58 am
Michelle @ Find Your Balance
I have these pretty bags that roll up into a tiny bundle to keep handy in my purse or car. I like them but I have no idea what they’re made of. Hmmm. Well, at least I use them! For groceries, for other shopping, and for when I suddenly need an extra bag for a myriad of reasons. It’s great!
However they do get dirty and need to be washed on the gentle cycle. I admit I don’t do this as often as I should.
Here in Boston everyone has reusable bags (well, not everyone) and stores are very used to it. Many give 5 cents off for each bag you use. I applaud those of you who live in other areas of the country where this is not yet widespread!
October 25, 2009 at 4:09 pm
Amy @ Simply Sugar & Gluten-Free.com
I love my reusable bags…I have some – all given to me. One if from National Parkinson’s Foundation – my dad passed away in 2006 from a disease related complication. One if from my CSA – it’s bright orange and says BUY LOCAL. Another from Healthy Cooking Tatse of Home and I just got a 4th one in the mail from Stonybrook Organic Yogurt. I use all of them them. I guess I don’t really care what anyone else thinks about my bag. I’m too cheap to pay for the designer bags but I think they’re cute.
October 25, 2009 at 6:00 pm
Goldnrod
I got these beautiful bags at Fred Meyer (owned by Kroger).
http://www.pattyreeddesigns.com/instatote/index.htm
They are expensive, $8, but if you wait they will put them on clearance, I got my large bags for about $3.20.
They are recycled from soda bottles & easy to clean.
October 25, 2009 at 6:06 pm
Diane
I use whatever bags I have, some cheap ones and a couple of canvas ones. I noticed some nice bins the you can use too. They are like a short box that you can pack your heavy items in and they won’t tip over in your trunk. I really like these plastic bins.
Now if I could just figure out a way not to forget to bring my bags into the grocery store with me cause putting them in the trunk doesn’t work and putting one on the front seat as a reminder doesn’t work that well either cause the kids throw it on the back seat and then it gets forgotten. Grrrr
October 29, 2009 at 8:26 pm
Fight Back Friday October 23rd | Food Renegade
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