When you grocery shop do you use paper, plastic or your own canvas tote bags?

Question

For the past sixteen years my wife has been using her own canvas tote bags (long before it became fashionable) to load the groceries from the supermarket.

We sat down today and figured out that in that time she has saved over $583.00.

She shops at Ralph's supermarket where they reimburse her 5 cents per bag (she uses 14 per trip = 70 cents per week.)

Sixteen years ago she bought seven tote bags for $3 each and acquired seven tote bags free (souvenirs, etc.)

A pretty good investment as well as avoiding paper and plastic trash.

Now we use them whenever we go to any store.

Answer 1

i use plastic if i cant carry the item(s) in my hand. i recycle the bags or i give them to a nearby charity that uses them.

Answer 2

i use them sometimes cuz my mom does the shoppin but thats good wut u do u have saved lots

Answer 3

plastic.  i don't have the time or energy to worry about 5 cents....

Answer 4

well... i use plasitc, paper when i get chicken

Answer 5

well u no canvas tote bags are all the rage

Answer 6

I do all the above

Answer 7

We use our own canvas tote bags.

Answer 8

Sometimes I'll opt for paper, sometimes plastic, altho in the past few months i have gotten some of those reuseable totes and use them ( when I don't forget them at home) If I'm only getting one or two items at the store, I'll tell them I don't want a bag at all!

"It's not easy being green"...Kermit the Frog

Answer 9

I use canvas tote bags also, I bought a few at the local supermarket for 99 cents each.  Love them and at the same help the environment.

Answer 10

i use canvas bags for food, but not meat. i make them put that in a plastic bag and then use that plastic bag for like a bathroom trash bag or something. i never waste anything

Answer 11

i use canvass too canvass rocks save the trees and the earth  

plastic doesn't  disintegrate only breaks down to smaller pieces and then the animals end up eating it

canvass saves the planet and saves you money that rocks

Answer 12

Wow, i'm so impressed with the answers I see here.  Totes eh?  I don't think I've seen people doing that but it sure is a good idea.  Had no idea you could even save money doing that - I'm going to ask about that!  I like how Sam's club has you use some of their warehouse boxes.  I usually keep those in the car and reuse them.   Plastic for meats.   Lately I don't see paper hardly offered anymore.  But I reuse the plastic bags for everything for tossing old paint trays, to sandwiches, garbage, etc.

Answer 13

Plastic man, they're great for trash.

Answer 14

plastic

Answer 15

I use the canvas bags that i bought from the store for .99.   They're much stronger and bigger.

Answer 16

plastic, i reuse them for other things and i don't have to use excess energy/water/phosphates to wash them

Answer 17

I'd use my own canvas tote bag. Your helping save the nature and trees! Don't waste the paper/plastic bags if you dont need them. You guys have a good idea!

Answer 18

I work at a gorcery store and plastic bags are expencive and much weaker than paper and the people who bring their own bags in get a discount.It might seem like its a hassel to deal with the tote bags, but in the end it saves everyone money even the store

Answer 19

About 90% of the time I use my own canvas tote bag.  The rest of the time it's paper which I can recycle.  Our local Whole Foods Market also gives a 5-cent credit for bringing your own bag; but you can also opt for a charity token so that your nickel goes to a local charity.  I usually opt for the token.

Answer 20

I've always either re-used my plastic bags (as garbage bags, travel bags, lunch bags, or grocery bags) or used the cardboard boxes available at the front.

I started using an old geeky-looking McDonalds gym bag (bright orange with the red clown on the front and yellow straps.. became kind of my 'trademark' joke..haha) when I moved to Toronto in 2004. Loved that old thing. Got it Thrift for like, a buck. Lasted me three years.

Moved on this year to two canvas totes. Though if I'm driving (rarely, I usually walk everywhere) I'll still use boxes or recycled plastic bags.

I hate paying for bags that only clutter up the place, break half the time, and are a unneccesary use of plastic.

Answer 21

I AM ASHAMED TO SAY, PLASTIC, i KNOW i SHOULD BE USING  MY OWN. MAYBE THIS WILL GET ME STARTED

Answer 22

I always get plastic, sometimes double if the items are heavy.  I like the little handles.

Answer 23

Canvas. I don't get reimbursed, but I don't care because the tote bags hold more than plastic, don't roll around in the trunk because they have more structure and they are easier to carry since I can carry them like a shoulder bag or by the handles.

I take a smaller tote to put fruit and veggies in so I don't have to put them in those plastic bags in the produce section. They never get crushed since they have their own bag.

Answer 24

plastic....it can also be reused for other things

Answer 25

I use my own Hessian bags.

http://www.gogreen.cellande.co.uk/direct...

I understand Tesco Now sell them for £1 each, they will last for years and years

(I personally would rather not give my money to large Global Corporations like Tesco).

Answer 26

the recycleable tote bags.

Answer 27

I use plastic, but I save them and then take them back to the store for them to recycle. They don't give any money back, but that's not what it's about.

Answer 28

plastic, paper bags are itchy, canvas is best for the environment, but not very practical for my lifestyle

Answer 29

plastic.