Spill the beans... on uses for old plastic carrier bags

withabix

Dog poo bags.

laurel7172

We had a collection for the local food bank at work this week. Most people seemed to bring in a tin or two in a carrier bag.

As I was responsible for collecting everything together before the presentation, I tucked the carrier bags away out of sight, thinking they'd be handy to carry the food to the van afterwards.

After we'd packed up the donations, the food bank rep asked if she could take the surplus bags as they're needed for clients to carry away the food they're given...

So, if you have a lot of plastic bags, maybe the local food bank would appreciate them?

londonTiger

bundance wrote: »

Tiny bits of plastic being injested by tiny animals and going up the food chain. Also fish injesting toxins. Not to mention the damge to the earth the plastics are doing.
Plastic is not natural so introduction of it to the ecosystem was always gonna be a non starter.
Also, apparently in the pacific, there is a great big floating pile of rubbish out to sea. Scientists are working on it to see what damage has been done.
I watched a video on it but sadly I no longer have the link.

yes you just repeated what i said, my question is how are plastic bags in landfill a problem? The issue is with using plastic bags for domestic waste.

Own_My_Own

My Ds uses them to keep his push bike seat dry, when he is not using it.

Edwardia

Dog poo collecting bags
To put cold bottled water into in my bag
As packing material when moving/sending parcels
Clear ones get used to hold recycling surplus when put out for collecion

shandyclover

In the late 90's I lived in Nepal doing charity work. My toddler used real nappies, and I used tie-pants with them. When it came time to buy new ones I found they weren't available locally. Nepalese rich used disposables, and the poor potty trained their babies by 3 mos! I got my mum to send some but the post is notoriously slow so I was inspired one day to cut open a plastic carrier bag and trace an old tie pant pattern, cut it out and tried them - worked great, with the added bonus of I always knew where DD3 was and when she was on the move due the 'shq-shq-shq' plastic-bag-crinkle noise.

quavering

I've just made two draught excluders using some old tights and a mountain of carrier bags I've accumulated over the past few years.

Seem to be working quite well so far

Rationing_Revisited

My mother used to crochet with the plastic bags she brought home from the supermarket. As a child I always had a plastic bag hat, it was brilliant and I cool wear it when swimming as well (waterproof).
I'm collecting some of the Aldi veg plastic bags this year.... like the ones round the cabbages/ cauliflower. On the bottom they have a perfect union flag, which when cut out will make some interesting bunting this Christmas. My sister is also using loads of different plastic bags for her art project for university... she knits them into squares of different colours.

trickypockets

I haven't taken a new plastic carrier for about 3 years, from any type of shop, including clothes. It takes a little while, but it soon becomes automatic to never leave the house without a jute or cloth bag (made from fabric remnant or old pillowcase).

I only have a tiny garden and don't really have a use for compost so I have a small bin for 'wet' rubbish (tbags, veg peelings etc) which I line with a bread bag. If I haven't got a spare, I would empty it straight into the bin and reuse it. I keep a cat-litter sack for dry non-recyclables which I just empty and reuse.

The only problem is cat litter, which my council says cannot be put directly into the wheelie bin. I use paper-based litter and store it in one of the many charity bags that come through the door until full.

Lots of the things people say they 'need' bags for amaze me - a waste-bin in the living room will probably only receive sweet wrappers and tissues, so why does it need lining ? (and it looks horrible).

I'm with the person who says it doesn't matter if the bin pongs, so long as it's not by the door.

mavon

Plastic carrier bags have become quite precious here in wales as we have to pay for each one(even the really thin ones) so there is not a build up of surplus bags anymore in our house.We even have to pay for the paper bags in macdonalds.