I am...bag lady!

se999

When we're in europe we stock up on the Canvas bags at the checkouts, they're plain linen and normally between 0.5 and 0.75 Euros. They fold up really small into a pocket or a handbag. Most of the big super/hypermarkets stock them.

Yorkielass

I almost always refuse plastic carrier bags, the only excepts are big clothes purchases such as a jumper from Next (incase I want to take it back) and if I've gone out in a hurry. People normally look at me as if I'm crazy but we don't have room for lots of bags in our flat and I think it's environmentally very bad.

I've used bags for life ever since I've done my own shopping (we did get some odd looks with Christmas ones in July :rolleyes: ) and my parents use the sainsburys plastic boxes. I find you can get loads more in the bags for life than normal carriers and they can be reused so many times.

For shopping in places other than supermarkets we have a couple of unbleached cotton bags - my favourite is a traidcraft fairtrade one, which I bought in a fairtrade shop in York, only cost £3.50 and it's so useful - for example today filled it with my ebay and other packages and took it to work and then the post office after work. When I went shopping at the weekend I took my bag and said no in places like boots and whsmiths and had carried in my things to post too

I think until the government impose a carrier bag tax where you have to pay for your carrier bags the situation won't get any better.

Sorry I'll stop ranting - carrier bags are a real bugbear of mine, I feel so bad when I do get one

pavlovs_dog

speaking of sainburies boxes, does anyone know what become of those blue boxes tescos used to use? there were special trollies for them and everything

PoshPaws_3

Some supermarket carrier bags are biodegradable - which is why knitting or crocheting blankets out of them doesn't work so well these days. A friend spent hours making a crocheted blanket to put over some tender plants in her greenhouse, only to find it disintegrated within three months of use!

I keep intending to try and find out which ones are biodegradable, so that I can make sure to use those when bagging up the recycling.

We keep four bags on the go in the kitchen :
1. plastic
2. paper
3. tins, jars & foil
4. plastic trays suitable for seed growing

Inevitably, they get used for all sorts of alternative uses such as has already been mentioned, i.e. waste paper bin liners, dog poo bags (although I find the little bags available for vegetables are better), wrapping chicken bones for the bin (which I also spray with kitchen cleaner, to keep the cats at bay!) etc. etc.

We're lucky in that our council takes carriers for recycling, so those which don't fit into our carrier sausage (a fabric tube, into which we stuff 'em) get recycled.

HOLsale

pavlovs_dog wrote:

i wish they'd do that here to, it would certainly make people think more.

it wouldnt be so bad if more paper bags were used, as these are much more easily recycled. :rolleyes:

i agree, it will be a welcome relief when they get around to it (i think plans are already underfoot in scotland!)

i've been using my trolly for at least 6 months now and it's such a relief on my back and fingers BUT even though people see it they still automatically start shoving things in bags so i have to remove the stuff from the bags saying 'no thankyou, i have my trolly' then start packing it in there. they STILL say 'are you sure?' uhhhhhhhhhh YES, that's the point of the trolly :rolleyes:

they actually look at you like you've grown 3 heads when you catch them BEFORE they get the bag out... but then, i'm used to that already for so many other reasons :rotfl:

i think trollys will become MUCH more popular if they introduce a tax on plastic bags

saving-grace

I'm glad I'm not the only one who hates the wastefulness of supermarket carrier bags. When I go supermarket shopping I usually take a big bundle of folded up bags to re-use. Haven't seen anyone else doing this though, even when Sainsbury's used to give back 1p for each re-used bag for the charity box.

nicki_2

I use mine for wrapping my ebay parcels in before I wrap them in brown paper so if the paper gets ripped or wet then the item is less likely to get damaged. Other uses in our family :

• bin liners
• DD's school wellies are hanging in one on her peg in the cloakroom
• Packed lunch bags for school trips (they actually ask you not to send lunch bags/boxes and use a carrier with the childs name on) usually DD uses a lunch box for everyday school lunches.
• I took a load into school for the teachers to use to send wet uniforms home in (primary school kids, also there is a nursery attached so sometimes the kids have "accidents" )
• School also uses them to send artwork home in where there is alot of it (usually July)
• Sorting the recycling out - clear glass, green glass, brown glass, cans - Kerbside collection here so they then get put into the van so I assume they must do something with them When we first got the box/leaflet it actually said "please sort out your recycling into seperate carrier bags"
• Gathering charity donations/items together. Keeps them to small amounts so I can declutter the things on a more regular basis and they're alot easier to hand in to the shops than a bin bag full!

There are probably more things as well but thats all I can think of ATM.

moggins

I use them to line the bins and also donate them to my local pet shop and charity shop, it's a small one that doesn't have enough money to get their own bags.

johanne

i recently sent a whole binliner of them to my mums cos i just wouldnt use them and cos of lil bro and dad inevitabely shed get through more than me.

I have a couple of bags for life from tesco + sainsburys... mums just given me a huge canvassy type sturdy looking sainsburys one too (my uncle gave her so recycling!!) as i go supermarket shopping on foot (about a mile) and she goes shopping in the car so my needs are greater for a sturdy shopping bag that wont shred my fingers/break.

I also use either a tote type bag, a cross the shoulder studenty bag or a sports rucksack depending on how much im buying (and my outfit :rotfl: )

In sainsburys when i get asked would i like help packing i always say no thanks and put my rucksack/bag up on the end of the packing area so they can see i dont need carrier bags... and i get my bags for life out after ive put the stuff on the belt but havent quite got to the payment end.. so the cashier can see ive got bags with me.

Any i do get get thrown in a large bag for life type carrier i have from a clothes shop and get used for bin liners, taking stuff to OHs/mums etc, wrapping chicken bones/meat cutoffs etc for the bin to keep away cats.

Linda32

I use them for bringing rubbish down from upstairs too. Bin liner for the compost waste bin in the kitchen.

They are too small for our proper kitchen bin :mad:

Also re-use them at Aldi and Makro