Alternatives to plastic bags?

Question

Im looking for the best of the best here, no stupid ideas please.

thanks.

Answer 1

In Ireland the government introduced a levy  of 22 cent per plastic bag. The result is everyone has reusable bags. It's second nature now when we go shopping to bring money and the bags.

In fashion shops the retailer supply paper bags for their customer. The option of paying the 22 cent is there for everyone, but unless it's lashing rain and you've a long walk to a bus stop, everyone uses paper bags.

It worked because it was enforced, in general people are lazy, and money will always speak louder than good intentions.

Answer 2

Several ideas:

As most of us already have un-eco-friendly plastic bags - don't automatically get rid of them, that's more wasteful than reusing them.  I always keep a couple in my (large, so will take small amounts of shopping anyway!) bag so I can re-use them when I go shopping.  

But, once I'm all out of reusable plastic bags (and they can be woven and turned into more durable bags themselves if you have enough bags and time), I'll invest in an Aussie idea from Fremantle, where I first saw them, called onyabags - they're really strong and fold up to practically nothing, rather like parachute material, so you can always have one on you.  They're funky, ecologically sound, tiny and eminently practical.  And come in dozens of sizes, shapes and colours.  

:)

Answer 3

I guess its back to the brown paper bags, don't know what else!!!

Answer 4

bags made of fabric...that way you use it ever time you go shoping..

Answer 5

Like it used to be!!!

Paper bags!!

They can be recycled and turned into more paper bags.

Answer 6

When I go shopping I take two cloth bags I have made and do not take plastic bags from the shop.

My Mother had a basket for shopping.

Answer 7

I carry my 'Head' rucksack with me to the shops. I have 3 or 4 'lifetime' plastic bags in there. I never use the supermarket disposable bags now.

Answer 8

I think every household has some shopping bags, there are no need for plastic bags. I have a large bag which clips inside the shopping trolley, all we have to do is transfer the shopping into it then put it straight in the boot of the car

Answer 9

Either paper ones  as they used to be,  carrier bags,   or take your own shopping bag as we always used to.  I would think  reusable, permanent shopping bags for supermarket and routine household shopping trips.  Then paper for cl;clothes and similar shops when making random purchases.  Paper is recyclable  and the shopping bags would hopefully last a few years. Both are better than the current plastic bags used just once.

Answer 10

women with oversized handbags. youd be amazed what we can fit in there!

Answer 11

Rucksack - The type you use day in day out.

Hessian bag

Cardboard boxes

Or simply a bin as in the olden days. Like 50 years ago people used to put their waste into an aluminium bin and that system worked.

Nowadays people need to separate their waste, bottles, papers, cans. Easy to do at your nearest recycling centre.

Answer 12

A few years ago someone came up with bags made from potatoes which seemed to work.

Answer 13

the new eco bags they use in the supermarket; the reusable ones that you need to bring everytime you go shopping so that the supermarket will save on plastic bags.

they sell some promoting enviromnental awareness by setting promos like "double points if you use the bag".

the bags are usually made of recycled materials like cheese cloth which are durable too.

Answer 14

All you really need are re-usable bags rather than the throw away bags that shops do now. For example tesco seemed to make there bags thinner and now they are completely c**p and you're lucky if you manage to get your shopping all the way home without the bag splitting. They should just produce bags that you pay for and then use over and over again, I know they already do these but they need to get rid of the regular carriers altogether.

Answer 15

Over here we use cloth bags. We can purchase them with our shopping and re-use them again and again. They are very cheap and handy.

Answer 16

Try these http://mypopbag.com/?page_id=3

There is another manufacturer as well but I can't rememebr their name I'm afraid.

All the supermarkets sell bag for life or similar

Answer 17

bring back the loacal shop you just fetch what you need at the time plus you get a bit of exercise

Answer 18

We can take in paper grocery sacks and receive 5 cents off for each bag.  We do get plastic because we reuse them when cleaning the lumps in cat litter and for carrying around filled with stuff that we end up carrying around.

Answer 19

well  if  you  think  this  stupid  OK  ....but  use  of   hands , arms , bowl  on  head ,  ..really  all  sensible  stuff  ...but   why  should  I  pay  for  plastic  ..I  purchase  a  product  and  expect  a   seller  to   wrap  it  for  me (they   have  for  hundreds  of  years  ) how  they  do  that  is  their  concern  not  mine  ..ie..go  buy  ÃƒÂ‚£100  worth  of  groceries  from  M&S   possibly  200  items   how  am  I  going  to  get  out  of  store   without   wrap  ..got  it ....... get  them to  deliver  my  purchases    to  me    you  want  my  ÃƒÂ‚£100   need  some  service   ........oooh  yes  sure  they  will  love  that   ..but  its  true   ...how  they  do   the  wrap  is  thier  concern  not  ours  not  going  to  pay  for  it  ....didnt  ask  for  plastic   ..was  the  retailers  choice  free  advertising  an  all  that    ..so  now  they  have  to  find  alternative   but  will  not  pay  for  spending  money  in  thier  store ..  .not  our  fault  the buyers  ....its  the  retail  industry    .....the  sellers    who  are  too  blame  here  so  sort  it ...retailers  

    

.

Answer 20

Personally I use canvas bags  - fantastic- reusable -washable range of funky colours and designs

I am in the process of trying to find one which is big enough for shoes and boots so that I can go shoe /clothes shopping with them

there are a lot of places i refuse bags now, especially if buying something small that will fit in my handbag.

paper bags are all well and good as long as they are not bleached  - most canvas bags are not and  will say that on them somewhere.

in terms of plastic bags - reuse them until they are no good and take to the local carrier bag recycling bin

Answer 21

bags made of cloths or thread or papers

Answer 22

try getting a large fabric bag that you can fold up and easily get out to go shopping

Answer 23

I just buy the Tesco 'bag for life' for 'green bag' and use them.  However, lot of shops now sell fabric bags that you can use.

Answer 24

cardboard boxes, or the new eco-bags! or strong paper bags (the paper bags will disintergrate ((can't spell)) unlike the plastic)

Answer 25

i think suppermarkets and the like should stop providing these then we carnt use them.

then maybe we will get used to having a little fold up fabric/nylon bag in our pockets.  just like gran used to use...lol.

either that or the manufactures should be made by the government to make them 100% degradable.  my bin bags are and are strong enough for the job so why carnt shopping bags be made this way?.......

Answer 26

Plastic bags are fine as long as you recycle them by using them as binbags after each meal.

This offsets any carbon footprint and saves mony on not buying black bags as well.

I do this all the time and we have had no problems with global warming round Stoke.