It's been years since I have used plastic bags, since there was a rule that got implemented, and it replaced plastic bags with paper bags. So what we do with them is we just use them as cover in the kitchen trash can so that the thrash doesn't go in there directly.
I carry my own bag with me while shopping because I don’t want to pay for plastic bags and dump my home and surroundings with a pile of plastic things. Lately world is now understanding the dangers of plastic. Our Government is taking strict measures to combat the situation. The first step is to hike the rates of plastic bags which will discourage shoppers going for new bags. Customers are encouraged to carry their own bags while shopping. Here recycling options are very limited and nobody is taking that much of pain in that area. We also encourage paper bags and many people already started paper bag business keeping in mind its future potential. I think it is a good thing that world is becoming more and more environment friendly even though it is quite late now. But it is better late than never.
Some cities in Metro Manila have enacted an ordinance on the use of plastic bags in supermarkets and groceries, that is the establishments are not allowed to use the usual plastic grocery bags. The rationale is the wanton disposal of those used plastic bags that later on would clog the drainage which would eventually cause flooding. But we don't discard plastic bags whenever we have one because we have many uses for it. First is the use of those plastic bags for carrying things like when you need to bring fruits to the office, for example. In our house, we use plastic bags for the temporary depository of trash in the kitchen particularly bits of food. The plastic bag is a good material to wrap leftover fish so the fishy odor will not pervade the kitchen's atmosphere.
I think it is a good thing to reuse plastic bags to carry things like grocery and other items, but what is happening is that people are lazy to carry bags while shopping and buy new ones at grocery shops. They throw it away after first use. This results in more and more plastic which is adversely affecting our environment. Now we have a new movement here called “Love Plastic” which is driven by Government agencies. Many organizations like public and private undertakings, educational institutions are also part of this association now. They collect plastic from various sources and recycle them mainly to make a new kind of road tar. This proved to be very durable and also ensures an effective use of this waste material which otherwise is a threat to our environment.
Over here, plastic bags are not being used by malls anymore because of some ordinance banning the use of plastic bags, so we are stuck with paper bags. Like what you said, we also use them as cover inside the thrash can and for storing other items at home so that they won't get dusty.
I reuse plastic grocery bags a lot in keeping some of my raw food items and wrapping up already prepared food before keeping them up in the fridge to avoid stains. There are petty petty stuffs around my kitchen that I get into these grocery bags to tidy up the table. I do also use them for refuse disposal sometimes
I use my the bags as trash bags. I really don't gather a lot of them since in most stores here they like to conserve them. If one wants a bag we must purchase them in some of the stores. In other stores they try to pack in as much as they can in one bag to prevent from using too many.
Here in the UK we have started to be charged for every plastic bag we take from the store, so that encourages people to use what they have and recycle. It can be annoying sometimes when you go shopping and have to pay more for a bag, and especially when you know you have a draw full at home but you simply forgot to bring one, but it has seemed to have worked and at last count I think it said that stores had sen a 50% decrease in the amount of bags that they was giving out.
It is no problem for us as far as plastic grocery bags are concerned. Students were taught to make out of those used plastic bags for other purposes. They had a project in school. This kind of project is recycling the old or used plastic grocery bags for household needs, decors, among others. They're too busy collecting those plastic bags. They're not only making their grades better or higher. They also have an extra income for their day-to-day expenses for their transportation in going to school, for their school needs, and even to augment the meager income of their father.
Take them back to the market for reuse in stowing your basic supplies. Decline to acknowledge new ones. Consider no longer tolerating plastic sacks. The more that you keep on using the sacks, the more stores expect you need them. By carrying your own particular sacks with you, and by denying plastic packs, you communicate something specific that they're did not need anymore. Be that as it may, be sensible. Some plastic sacks forestall more terrible issues, for example, spilling meat juices, utilize your judgment skills about minimizing their utilization. Keep plastic sacks around the house to supplant junk can liners in the bathrooms, office and rooms. Keep them anyplace you have a little trashcan. Keep some in the pantry to toss out pocket waste found in garments and exhaust the build up channel in the dryer.
Ughhh I know what you mean about the baggers only putting ONE item in a plastic bag for you. I've never understood that either...and it always bothers me too. I could see if you have raw meat or something and they would wrap it in a separate bag and THEN put it in with all your other bags of groceries, but nope, they keep that one bag completely separate from the others. (This is also a VERY easy way to forget that one bag because they forget to hand it to you when you're leaving because it's so small and flat.) That's why I go out of my way to use the U-Scan line/do-it-yourself line.....so I can bag my own items the way I want them bagged. As for what I do with the plastic bags once I get them home and empty them....this may sound a little gross, but whenever my cats throw up in my room or the hallway, I take a bag upstairs with me and throw all the paper towels I use to clean up the mess into that one plastic bag. It saves a lot of trips to and from the trash can, plus, it keeps the stinky smell all in one plastic bag so you can tie it up really tight and then dispose of it somewhere else so the kitchen garbage can isn't full of paper towels/kitty vomit. Just being honest about what I use them for. Sorry if that was too much info. haha
Since plastic bags aren't allowed anymore at my end, we are stuck with reusable bags and paper bags. The few that I get from here and there, I use them as dustbin liners.
