Comments on: Paper, plastic, or fabric? http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/ Welcome back to the school year. Please leave your brain at the door. Sun, 06 Jul 2008 12:58:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5 By: Dixie http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1135 Dixie Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:27:26 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1135 Hi Tommy. I just wanted to say that in France, people take their own cloth or plastic bags to the store with them to be used for purchases and have done so for many years. If you forget your bags from home then you must pay for bags from the store! I personally like the idea of "going green" and taking my own bags to the grocery store! Hi Tommy. I just wanted to say that in France, people take their own cloth or plastic bags to the store with them to be used for purchases and have done so for many years. If you forget your bags from home then you must pay for bags from the store!
I personally like the idea of “going green” and taking my own bags to the grocery store!

]]> By: tommy http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1122 tommy Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:51:00 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1122 Otir - I suppose we could always just flat refuse to use their bags, and tell them either we use our own bags or go elsewhere, because we bought bags already, and if they only let us use theirs, then goodbye to them. Steve Purkiss - It is bad, they under load them, and mass them as well. Mom - Wow...did they REALLY do that? Sad..... Kari the herbalist - Heh, your welcome. Tikitorch - Letter to the manager..If you do so, be sure to mention what "Mom" said, about plastic INSIDE the fabrics.. Steve D. - Let's hope that when you buy the fabrics, they don't bag them :) R. Neal - Thanks, I'll be sure to check that out. Carole Burges - Try having a wheeled cart that can go in your car, and lightweight? All I can say..Personally, I love to reuse things, but i usually end up pack ratting more then using.. Mickey - That never occurred to me until I read your post.. Thanks for the idea. Jeni and Dean - Hi! How ya doing? Anyway....Yes, the fabrics are SOOO much larger.. Otir -
I suppose we could always just flat refuse to use their bags, and tell them either we use our own bags or go elsewhere, because we bought bags already, and if they only let us use theirs, then goodbye to them.

Steve Purkiss -
It is bad, they under load them, and mass them as well.

Mom -
Wow…did they REALLY do that? Sad…..

Kari the herbalist -
Heh, your welcome.

Tikitorch -
Letter to the manager..If you do so, be sure to mention what “Mom” said, about plastic INSIDE the fabrics..

Steve D. -
Let’s hope that when you buy the fabrics, they don’t bag them :)

R. Neal -
Thanks, I’ll be sure to check that out.

Carole Burges -
Try having a wheeled cart that can go in your car, and lightweight? All I can say..Personally, I love to reuse things, but i usually end up pack ratting more then using..

Mickey -
That never occurred to me until I read your post.. Thanks for the idea.

Jeni and Dean -
Hi! How ya doing? Anyway….Yes, the fabrics are SOOO much larger..

]]> By: Jeni and Dean http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1104 Jeni and Dean Fri, 18 Apr 2008 05:28:33 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1104 We use fabric bags. We have 4 fabric bags that we use for groceries and for going to Target. It's amazing because we used to get about 10-12 plastic bags when we would go grocery shopping and now all our groceries fit in those 4 bags. Pretty cool. We use fabric bags. We have 4 fabric bags that we use for groceries and for going to Target. It’s amazing because we used to get about 10-12 plastic bags when we would go grocery shopping and now all our groceries fit in those 4 bags. Pretty cool.

]]> By: mickey http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1099 mickey Thu, 17 Apr 2008 14:47:09 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1099 I use a big plastic box, the same one we use to hold our recycled newspapers. I wheel my groceries out to the car, no bags involved, and put them in the box. Once home, I carry the box to the kitchen. What the heck are the bags for in the first place? Completely unnecessary. I use a big plastic box, the same one we use to hold our recycled newspapers. I wheel my groceries out to the car, no bags involved, and put them in the box. Once home, I carry the box to the kitchen.

What the heck are the bags for in the first place? Completely unnecessary.

]]> By: Carole Borges http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1090 Carole Borges Wed, 16 Apr 2008 02:25:49 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1090 Your list of problems associated with plastic bags really reminded me to start looking for alternatives. Fabric bags are cool, but I'm a retired senior with weak arms and a tight budget. It takes me at least 6 or 7 tightly packed large bags to do my grocery shopping. I try to only shop once a month to save gas and to avoid being enticed by things in stores I don't really need. I am going to try fabric bags, but I'm not really sure they will work for me. I think it is totally disgusting to see grocery clerks put one item in a bag and then pull out another. I always ask them to load my bags a little more. This planet is drowning in discarded paper and plastic products. I recycle mine (along with many other people) at the local dog park. We put our bags into a box so everyone can use them as pooper-scoopers. It's not a perfect solution, but at least the bags are used twice. I'm a believer in trying to do little things if you can't do the larger things. If each of us would cut down just a little on our waste, an amazing amount ofenvironmental improvement would be seen. I used to like the brown paper bags because I used them for so many things like making crafts, bookcovers, wrapping books and packages for mailing, and even for food preparation. They were great for the kids to make Halloween masks, and I used them with an iron to get spilled candle wax up from my rugs. I love trees though, so it was clear paper bags had to go. You bring up a good topic here. I liked reading all the comments. Thanks for creating a discussion about this important issue. Your list of problems associated with plastic bags really reminded me to start looking for alternatives. Fabric bags are cool, but I’m a retired senior with weak arms and a tight budget. It takes me at least 6 or 7 tightly packed large bags to do my grocery shopping. I try to only shop once a month to save gas and to avoid being enticed by things in stores I don’t really need. I am going to try fabric bags, but I’m not really sure they will work for me.

I think it is totally disgusting to see grocery clerks put one item in a bag and then pull out another. I always ask them to load my bags a little more. This planet is drowning in discarded paper and plastic products. I recycle mine (along with many other people) at the local dog park. We put our bags into a box so everyone can use them as pooper-scoopers. It’s not a perfect solution, but at least the bags are used twice. I’m a believer in trying to do little things if you can’t do the larger things. If each of us would cut down just a little on our waste, an amazing amount ofenvironmental improvement would be seen.

I used to like the brown paper bags because I used them for so many things like making crafts, bookcovers, wrapping books and packages for mailing, and even for food preparation. They were great for the kids to make Halloween masks, and I used them with an iron to get spilled candle wax up from my rugs. I love trees though, so it was clear paper bags had to go.

You bring up a good topic here. I liked reading all the comments. Thanks for creating a discussion about this important issue.

]]> By: R. Neal http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1085 R. Neal Wed, 16 Apr 2008 00:00:20 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1085 I confess that we still use plastic grocery bags. We purchased some reusable cloth bags, but we rarely seem to have them with us when we go shopping. I guess we need to try a little harder. You are correct that manufacturing plastic bags uses oil, which is becoming more and more scarce. Recycling helps reduce our use of dwindling natural resources, and most supermarkets accept plastic grocery bags for recycling, so that helps. But plastic recycling is not the only solution. On a larger scale, manufacturers should rethink how how our consumer products are packaged. Look up how much plastic is used for bottled drinking water. You'll be amazed. And think about how much of this stuff goes in our landfills. Would reusable glass bottles like we had back in the "old" days be a better solution? Here is an interesting discussion about the pros and cons of plastic packaging and recycling: http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html And here's a tip that might help wildlife. You know those plastic loop things that hold together six packs of soft drinks? Before you throw them away, cut the loops with scissors so birds and small animals can't get caught in them in case they somehow get loose before going into the landfill. I don't know if it helps, but that's one habit we have adopted over the years. I confess that we still use plastic grocery bags. We purchased some reusable cloth bags, but we rarely seem to have them with us when we go shopping. I guess we need to try a little harder.

You are correct that manufacturing plastic bags uses oil, which is becoming more and more scarce. Recycling helps reduce our use of dwindling natural resources, and most supermarkets accept plastic grocery bags for recycling, so that helps.

But plastic recycling is not the only solution. On a larger scale, manufacturers should rethink how how our consumer products are packaged. Look up how much plastic is used for bottled drinking water. You’ll be amazed. And think about how much of this stuff goes in our landfills. Would reusable glass bottles like we had back in the “old” days be a better solution?

Here is an interesting discussion about the pros and cons of plastic packaging and recycling:

http://www.ecologycenter.org/ptf/misconceptions.html

And here’s a tip that might help wildlife. You know those plastic loop things that hold together six packs of soft drinks? Before you throw them away, cut the loops with scissors so birds and small animals can’t get caught in them in case they somehow get loose before going into the landfill. I don’t know if it helps, but that’s one habit we have adopted over the years.

]]> By: Steve D. http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1082 Steve D. Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:54:40 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1082 We try to use fabric bags as much as possible, but when we get plastic bags (a quick unplanned stop at the store), we make sure to re-use them as much as possible. Going to Wal-Mart to buy fabric shopping bags is kinda like... I don't really know... just seems self-defeating. We try to use fabric bags as much as possible, but when we get plastic bags (a quick unplanned stop at the store), we make sure to re-use them as much as possible.

Going to Wal-Mart to buy fabric shopping bags is kinda like… I don’t really know… just seems self-defeating.

]]> By: talidapali http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1080 talidapali Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:51:54 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1080 I've bought several of the reusable bags that they have in various stores like Ingle's, or Kroger's, or Food City. They work really well. Every time I go in I buy another one, cause I usually miscalculate how many groceries I'm going home with and come up short on my bag count. We used to get plastic bags cause we would reuse them as trash bags in small trash cans, but honestly, they would still junk up the landfills...just they would be filled with other trash too. I’ve bought several of the reusable bags that they have in various stores like Ingle’s, or Kroger’s, or Food City. They work really well. Every time I go in I buy another one, cause I usually miscalculate how many groceries I’m going home with and come up short on my bag count. We used to get plastic bags cause we would reuse them as trash bags in small trash cans, but honestly, they would still junk up the landfills…just they would be filled with other trash too.

]]> By: Tamara http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1075 Tamara Tue, 15 Apr 2008 22:05:55 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1075 Good news, Tommy--I saw a Wal-mart circular a week or so back that advertised fabric shopping bags for sale with their store logo. The price was right, too, at just 99 cents. I meant to buy three or four this week, but forgot until I saw your post. (I don't really like Wal-mart much but, hey, they're fabric bags and they're cheap, right? Next trip, then.) Thanks for the reminder! Good news, Tommy–I saw a Wal-mart circular a week or so back that advertised fabric shopping bags for sale with their store logo. The price was right, too, at just 99 cents. I meant to buy three or four this week, but forgot until I saw your post.

(I don’t really like Wal-mart much but, hey, they’re fabric bags and they’re cheap, right? Next trip, then.)

Thanks for the reminder!

]]> By: tikitorch http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1072 tikitorch Tue, 15 Apr 2008 21:08:52 +0000 http://tommyacaldwell.com/blog/2008/03/30/paper-plastic-or-fabric/#comment-1072 I am also appalled by how many plastic bags grocery store employees use and are clearly trained to use. I am trying my best to get in the habit of taking my cloth bags to the store on a regular basis. I've been surprised at how much stuff you can really get in a good-sized cloth bag! Of course, then it's too heavy to carry.... I'd also like to retrain grocery store baggers about how many plastic bags they use. Maybe a letter to managers would be a good place to start. I am also appalled by how many plastic bags grocery store employees use and are clearly trained to use. I am trying my best to get in the habit of taking my cloth bags to the store on a regular basis. I’ve been surprised at how much stuff you can really get in a good-sized cloth bag! Of course, then it’s too heavy to carry…. I’d also like to retrain grocery store baggers about how many plastic bags they use. Maybe a letter to managers would be a good place to start.

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