 So, we all know that plastic grocery bags aren’t great for the environment. That is the understatement of the century. Experts have speculated that it will take 500 years for a plastic bag to break down in a landfill or in the ocean.
Fortunately, these bags haven’t around for 500 years for us to know if this is true or not.
However, we do need to keep them out of landfills, choose other receptacles to carry our purchases, and find new uses for the existing ubiquitous bags. There are numerous ways to reuse them. Here are just a few!
See what you can fit into your daily life.
- Use plastic bags as trash can liners. Place disposable diapers in a bag before tossing them in the diaper pail. It helps diminish odors.
- Substitute plastic bags for packing materials. Use plastic bags to protect and keep items from shifting when mailing packages.
- Protect Christmas decorations by packing them in plastic bags while in storage.
- If you have kids, keep a couple plastic bags in the diaper bag for soiled children’s clothing.
- Plastic bags make great carrying cases for Sippy cups (even "spill-proof" ones) to prevent spills in the diaper bag or in the car.
- When traveling, stash plastic bags in your suitcases to carry dirty laundry.
- Place your wet swim suits or other wet clothing in plastic bags to transport home until you can hang them to dry.
- Keep a plastic bag in your gym bag to store your shoes. It will prevent dirt from your shoes from soiling your clothes, especially during sloppy, snowy winter months.
- Keep several in your car, particularly if you have children or dogs. Plastic bags can double as “barf bags” or receptacles for unexpected doggy pit stops.
- Use plastic bags to store puzzles or other items with small parts that may get lost.
- Putting food in a plastic bag before packing in a lunch bag prevents leaks and prevents a soggy sandwich situation.
- Place frozen ice packs in a plastic bag to prevent "puddling" and excessive condensation in your lunch bag.
Use plastic bags to organize a deep freezer. Similar items, like frozen veggies or breads, can be stored together in one bag to enable you to quickly locate foods in your freezer. Organizing freezer foods in plastic bags is a quick and easy to keep tabs on your inventory.
- To prevent messy leaks when defrosting meat, place a paper towel within a plastic bag. Put meats in the bag to defrost for minimal cleanup. In the winter, just like we did as kids, slide your children’s feet into plastic bags and then into their snow boots. It will keep their tootsies drier.
- Carry a plastic bag with you while you are out walking to collect trash and dispose of it.
- Tote plastic bags with you to the grocery store to reuse them instead of getting new ones each time.
Donate the plastic bags. Many organizations will gladly take them, including: food pantries, used book stores, libraries, and thrift shops. Just be sure flatten the plastic bags, fold them in half, and place in another plastic bag prior to donating them.
- Fill several bags with food and other items to donate to a needy family. This is both charitable and green!
- Finally, whenever possible recycle the plastic bags to keep them out of the landfill.
Adding these small steps into your life can make a big difference long term!
|
Subscribe to this comment's feed
Great tips!