Say NO to plastic bags

Whoosher

QueenB. wrote:

Today i got my clubcard statement through and one of the little extras was a voucher for a free bag for life, now i know they barely cost anything but a penny saved and all that LOL.

I got one of those vouchers in the last mailing. When I went in to redeem it, they didn't have any bags for life left. I said it was OK and I'd leave it as it was only 10p, but the assistant insisted and chased after me with a 10p coin to recompense me for my disappointment!!:rotfl:

Quasar

I re-use plastic bags again and again and again. When they tear and cannot do the job anymore, I find something for them to do, such a lining the bottom of my birdcage, on top of which I put brown paper and sand.

I've got linen shopping bags as well, but since I'm always out and about sometimes I find bargains when I least expect it, so have to get the store's carriers. The smaller ones do well for showercaps, hairdye caps, and a host of other little uses.

I can't understand those shoppers who get 10 or 12 new bags each time they visit the store. Can't they re-use the same again and again? It doesn't take a great deal of effort or intelligence to pull that one, does it?

MORPH3US

Whoosher wrote:

I have to say, I get quite bolshy with the assistants if they insist on giving me a bag. I take the goods out and put them in my own bag, then give the shop's bag back to the assistant, smile and walk away without a word. It's incredibly annoying!

Exactly, what is their problem. Its like you have to have their carrier bag to prove that you purchased the item, like when you go to Asda and buy a 24 pack of beer and they cover it in that tape to prove you paid for it. Hello!! Don't receipts count as proof of purchase any more?!?!

M

PaleScene

MORPH3US wrote:

TESCO promised to consult local communities on every new superstore as the country’s largest supermarket chain fought to improve its image before a two-year investigation into the grocery sector by the competition watchdog.
Taken from http://business.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,9074-2174745,00.html

It's interesting that they are featuring this as if it's a new initiative because our local branch did this process a few years back when the store grew substantially.

They canvassed shoppers at the door to see if they wanted to attend the session and I did give my details. Later I was sent an invitation to go to a venue they'd hired (a local clubhouse) where they plied us with drinks and cakes then grouped everyone onto conference tables of 10 or 12. We brainstormed various topics with various staff members floating from table to table to hear what was discussed and then summarised to the rest of the room. One of the most positive things was that this process attracted lots of people like me who kept mentioning green issues, local sourcing and reducing waste.

I was set a good example as Mum made her own shopping bags or used the shopper bags made of the same coated fabric as aprons. It did cause some traumas (the flourescent parachute fabric bags were hideous!) but probably instilled my dislike of ever taking an unnecessary bag. I find no problem in carrying a couple of bag-for-life bags in my handbag at all times, plus extra supplies live in the car and the kitchen drawer, plus I've got a sports-bag sized coolbag which is great for the supermarket, and a subtle cloth bookbag if I ever have an urge to look more polished I haven't had frequent fights over refusing bags, perhaps there are enough people in this area who do so to make it seem normal enough. I've certainly seen others in the supermarket using plastic crates or boxes to load up

I'm looking forward to checking out the Onya bags next time I go to Totnes

needstoknow

may i suggest paper bags, if shops used these they would decompose quicker and come from a renewable source

Whoosher

Oooh, just though of something else - why do people use plastic bags for stuff like bananas & (!)pineapple(!)?

getcarter

The bags for bananas really irritate me - they've got perfectly good skins and their stuck together, it's just wasteful.

I use my big sainsburys bag with the cardboard bottom everywhere, never had any problems

C_Ronaldo

needstoknow wrote:

may i suggest paper bags, if shops used these they would decompose quicker and come from a renewable source

why not suggest it to the supermarkets, ask the big supermarkets what they are doing regarding bags that are biodegradable or if they have plans to introduce something else

pickle

I went to one of the big supermarkets the other day and bought a lot of fruit and vegetables. Almost every item was in a plastic container and then wrapped in plastic- why??? I managed to get only two items and did not put them in a plastic bag but then when I got to the checkout unbeknownst to me the checkout operator put them in plastic bags and then put them into the store plastic bag. Arghhh!

I've decided that I'll just load everything in the trolley (as I do at LIDL and Netto) and take to the car (where I keep the plastic bags) and load there. That way I avoid the whole issue of plastic bags.

The local council insists on the recycling being sorted into plastic bags and then put into the recycling box!!

I think a good place to start for unnecessary wastage has to start with the wrapping of products in supermarkets.

PaleScene

I've been using my own bag for life bags for ages now and generally find the responses from the till staff are friendly ie 'Ooh, you've got it all into just two bags!' (which is generally the intention

I did get offered a small bag for my solitary courgette on Friday, but I rebuffed the suggestion gently by commenting on how the small bags build up and was agreed with!