Click on picture to go to Bags on the Run. Cute affordable "green" bags.
So, here is an interesting article about the tax or ban of plastic bags. I have some issues with the whole idea.
First with a few kids the "green" bags just don't always cut it for me. I have a few and on trips to the store during the week for extra milk, eggs, produce.. I can use them.
For my BIG grocery shop every two weeks... well, that's a lot of bags.
Now, before people get bent out of shape because of course I am ruining the environment with my large family, I would like to point out that while I do have a lot of groceries during my big shop it's not nearly the amount of processed, packaged stuff that families with just one, two or no children come home with. Our "little" family only has one garbage can by the curb every week. Our neighbors with no kids? Three. Yeah, I'm the one bad for the environment. :) (Not, that I'm saying our neighbors are, I'm just saying lets look at the big picture here!)
Second, what good is a green bag when you have to throw it away after one use because the meat leaked in the bag? But just wash it. Um, no thanks. A bag saturated with meat juice is probably never going to be the same to me. I'm just sayin'! And while we are on the subject are all of these green bags biodegradable? The article above seemed to think not. Do we expect them to never wear out. IMO they are pretty flimsy. I can't see some of them making it past a month of good grocery shopping.
Third, if you take away our plastic bags then we will have to find non-recycled bags for poopie diapers, cat litter, wet clothes, small trash bags for the car... the list goes on. We use those plastic bags from the grocery store over and over and over. Sometimes three times. Sometimes only once. But we still reuse them. So... now you want me to go and buy the plastic bags for one time use for the poopie diaper? You want me to use one BIG trash bag one time for the cat litter? I guess I should buy the smaller trash bags to keep in the car for one time use? Really? I'm not going to use the "green" bags for those things.
Do I think "green" bags are good idea? Sure, to a reasonable extent. I have a mess of them hanging up in my kitchen. We use them for everything. I'll even tell you I can be convinced to use them on smaller trips to the grocery store. No problem. But don't treat me like a child and act like you have to tax or ban plastic bags because "YOU" say they are no good for the environment. Lots of stuff is no good for the environment. Let's go after processed, packaged food first. I'm sure that takes up a lot more room in the landfill. How about drinks of any kind. Wouldn't it just be better to drink tap water from a glass at home? No packaging there.
I'm just sayin'. :)
Be Blessed!
love it! great points! Besides I always forget my "green" bag when I leave the house;)
ReplyDeleteMaybe they will just make you "buy" the bags like at Aldi and Save A Lot grocery stores.
ReplyDeleteI'm not completely sold on the green bag thing either. They are so big, but when you load them down, you can definately feel them strain. And like you said, the whole leaking meat thing. Eew! We bought an insulated freezer bag that we put our meats in. It is easily wiped out.
I agree with you. Small trips no problem. But with 6 kids I bring home a lot of groceries! Plus, it has been documented that there is "transfer" of germs in those bags. Even if your meat didn't leak, someone else's might have at the check out counter and gotten on your box of oatmeal into your bag which next time you put apples in . . . SO GROSS! I try all I can with recycling and composting and buying real food instead of processed. Please government leave me with my plastic bags. Thank you very much.
ReplyDeleteAll I hear here is excuses (even in the comments!) why not to give up plastic bags. Shame on you. All of you. We all have to start somewhere, so get it together people and make an effort. The fact that you are still eating meat and are happy for your one-dollar-burger, well, that's what should gross you out. How many more plastic bags can our ocean shores take? The Great Pacific Garbage Patch is estimated to be twice the size of Texas - and it's not OK for us to look the other way anymore. We have a moral obligation to ourselves, to our children, to this planet to do our best and help others do their best. It all starts at home. So do your part. Stop whining. Wash your 'green' bags to keep your dreaded germs at bay. Yes, it does take effort. But a little mindfulness goes a long way (e.g. I know I'm going shopping, do I have my list and my bags with me?). We model everything for our children. Real change starts at home, in your own heart, one step at a time.
ReplyDeleteI LOVE my green bags!! I'm not offended at other people's use of plastic though. You just need to collect them one at a time till you have a bunch because once you do your big shopping trip with only 1/4 of the bags to carry in the house you will love them too! That is my main love. Fewer bags to carry. In one normal size canvas bag you can put the same amount of groceries that you put in about 4 plastic bags. I am usually stuck carrying the groceries in myself, so fewer bags to carry is a good thing in my book. So, in a nutshell, why do I love my green bags? Because I'm lazy of course! ;) I also love the big bags they have at one bag at a time. Google it and check out their website. Oh, and for the record, I have them put my meat in plastic before they put it in my bags. ;) Hee, hee.
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