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4.23.2009

::Paper or Plastic - Does Your Shopping Bag Really Make a Difference?::

Alright, if you've ever watched the television show Living With Ed [and we have!] you know the answer to the oh-so-common question "paper or plastic". According to Ed, as well as many other eco-friendly shoppers, the answer is - "neither". But does toting around a reusable bag or two really make that much of a difference? Good news - it really does!


Fact: Plastic bags sitting in landfills don't only take up to 1000 years to break down, but during their breakdown period they release toxins that pollute the earth and soil. The production of plastic bags also uses a great deal of oil, which also adds to the pollution problem. It's estimated that the citizens of the United States collectively use more than 380 billion plastic bags every year. Paper bags, while a seemingly better alternative, are in fact made of paper, which means that the use of paper bags requires using something very important to the environment - a lot of trees. Even paper bags that are made from recycled materials are often made from pre-consumer materials, not post-consumer, thus nullifying their eco-friendly effect. So even those who are trying to remedy the plastic bag problem by going with paper are still stuck in a corner with this option. The remedy? Go with reusables!

Around here, we have a house stocked with reusable bags from all our most frequent shopping locales. Of course, Target and Wal-mart are two of them, but our personal favorite is the Community Mercantile, better known as The Merc, which is our local co-op grocery store. Like a smaller version of your typical Target Super Center, the Merc has everything from fresh produce to books, cosmetics to cleaning solutions, and everything in between. The best part? If you shop smart and keep your eyes peeled for great deals, your budget stays the exact same, and you may even save money by shopping at your local co-op. Chances are it's packed full of items produced locally and sometimes at lower prices than you'd find on the shelves at a large corporate grocery store. Better yet, these co-ops frequently encourage going the eco-friendly route, as is the case with The Merc. Not only do they have your everyday reusable bags for sale, but they also have ones displaying The Merc logo, various designs from local artists, and even handmade bags by locals for locals. [In case you'd like to find the location of a community co-op near you, try searching through the natural food co-op national directory!]

Of course, if you buy your reusable shopping bags handmade, they may cost you a smidge more than a run-of-the-mill one, but the good news is that nobody needs a fancy bag to go grocery shopping. In fact, you may want to save a bit of money by going with a set of the average reusable bags than buying pricey alternatives. That way, when the bag finally needs replacing [which will generally take quite a while] you aren't out $20-$30. The price of a reusable bag at a corporate grocery store such as Target? $1.00-$5.00, depending on what design you'd like. And don't hesitate to take your Target bags to Wal-mart or your Wal-mart bags to your local co-op. If you're worried about insulting the store you're at versus the store bag you're carrying, keep this in mind: you're coming to their store to shop, so there's no harm done no matter what bag you tote in. Don't worry about store-appropriate bag etiquette!

But how many bags should you keep on hand? And how will you remember to take them with you to every shopping excursion? For us, we have a total of about 10 bags altogether. They hold quite a bit and are sturdier than both paper and plastic, so that's about all you need. Got a big family? You can always buy an extra bag or two, for those just in case shopping outings, but chances are 10 will be the right number and you won't need extras.

Helpful Hint: If you think that you'll forget your bags when going to the grocery store and once again be faced with the "paper or plastic" question, try this: When you return home from your shopping and everything gets put away, fold up your reusable bags and place them in the trunk of your car or under one of the seats. This should ensure that they get taken with you each trip and you won't be turning around halfway to the store to go back for your bags or end up buying extras at the store.

For the Fashionably Green: In case you don't just want to sport the average reusables and would rather make a statement along with your eco-friendly actions, try searching through the savvy and swank reusable bags on Etsy, a site specifically for all things handmade. Here, your bags can be made from anything from organic cotton to recycled materials and you can even request that a seller make a one-of-a-kind item just for you. Now you have something with sass, something eco-friendly, and something handmade all in one! Try browsing through the Etsy site for these shops, [or just click on the links here]: Happy Family, The Craft Pantry, and Proletariat Bags. Each has its own style, and each store has great feedback! Now you can go green without compromising your style... or your pocketbook.

So what did we figure out?
1) Ed's right! The only real eco-friendly answer to "paper or plastic" is "neither".
2) Sacrificing plastic bags doesn't have to break the bank or your personal style.
3) Utilizing reusable bags is easy to do [even with kids in tow!] and makes a big impact.

So the next time you go grocery shopping at your local co-op, supermarket, or even the farmer's market, remember to say "I brought my own bag". What a big difference one little bag can make! Happy shopping, everyone!
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Tiffany's Favorite Reusable Shopping Bag: The Brown Multi-Dot Bag from Babies 'r' Us

"Believe it or not, even Babies 'r' Us has a few reusable bags for sale! Super durable and sporting a neat modern design, [not to mention costing only a couple dollars], this bag is definitely my current favorite! Talk about neat eco-style for cheap!"
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*the reusable bag featured at the beginning of this post can be found on the Etsy.com site at The Craft Pantry*

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