Random question of the day: Do you recycle plastic bags?

[DawnMarch]

I know this is a random question but i'm curious if you recycle plastic bags? We use re-usable canvas grocery bags, but it was still driving me crazy throwing away other plastic bags, so I started collecting them and taking them to the recycle bin at the grocery store.

Now that I've started collecting them in one place, I canNOT believe how many bags we collect each week -- the ones the newspaper comes in, Target and pharmacy bags, the little bags that the Lego pieces come in, produce bags, on and on and on . . . They really need to make it easier to recycle this stuff!

[Serendipity]

Yes, but I also re-use them. I use them for DH's lunch, for trash bags in the bathrooms, as trash bags in the car, for packing and transporting breakables, and anything else that requires a small flimsy container. I always keep some, then recycle the rest. They pile up fast.

I bought reusable grocery bags but I always forget them. =\

[ajf9597]

We don't recycle, but we always reuse them.

[justmp]

Nobody around here will take them, so I have no choice but to throw them away. It makes me ill every time! I try to use "green bags" whenever I can, but the plastic ones still seem to accumulate.

[kristine]

Not really, but I reuse them so I don't throw them out. They are used as binbags, when the kids need to bring wellies etc to school.

I try to use reusable bags when I buy food, I use the big blue ones you get at IKEA, but I don't always remember to put them in the car.

[Julie Billingsley]

we reuse ours. My husband uses them as lunch bags and we use them as small trash bin liners. However we mostly use canvas shopping bags, so I don't end up with a lot of plastic bags to begin with.

[digideb]

we reuse them for trash bags.

[tuneskids]

I recycle anything that can be recycled ... plastic, cardboard, cans, glass, etc. When we go grocery shopping, we only use the reusable grocery bags, I have about 15 of them.
If I do end up with a plastic grocery bag, I keep a few around, in case the kids need them to take things to and from school, go for a sleepover (although normally they use their backpacks or travel bags), carry home library books, etc.

It's amazing how much I used to throw away! Before I got serious about recycling everything, I used to have 2 full garbage cans on pickup day ... now I am lucky if I have 1 full can! (ok, so it also helps to no longer have a kiddo wearing diapers ... those fill up the garbage quickly!)

[DawnMarch]

I try to use "green bags" whenever I can, but the plastic ones still seem to accumulate.


Yes, exactly. We just seem to end up with them from one place or another. Like the newspaper bags -- we get 2 newspapers and every day each one comes wrapped in its own plastic bag. Um, we live it ARIZONA! It never rains! Why do we need these bags???!!!

[lizzyfizzy]

i recycle them by reusing them and also by throwing them in my recycle bin at home. :) i don't collect many now that i always keep some canvas bags in my car.

[lizzyfizzy]

It's amazing how much I used to throw away! Before I got serious about recycling everything, I used to have 2 full garbage cans on pickup day ... now I am lucky if I have 1 full can!

this is totally us. we went to a couple recycle bins and we usually only have 1 and a half trash bags in our trash every friday. much better!

[Lauren Reid]

yes, i bring all my plastic bags (sans the ones for kitty litter) back to HEB to be recycled. i also use envirosax when i shop... they are super cute!

xo

[ColleenSwerb]

If our recycling company didn't make it so effing difficult, we'd recycle more. I really need to keep our canvas bags in the backseat of my car, because I never remember to use them! Jordan's good about using them to grocery shop though, so that's a LOT less bags coming in the house.

I re-use plastic bags for garbage and such. Either in trash bins or for my craft garbage or whatever.

[rachaelsscraps]

My town doesn't take them (I recycle everything I possibly can!) but I reuse them all. I also have some canvas bags so I don't have to use so many plastic bags- but then I forget the canvas ones when I go to the store! lol!

[Paula]

I voted yes, because we reuse them. But, there is no place here for me to officially recycle them.

[Darcy Baldwin]

We use canvas bags for groceries and Target trips.

However, we purposefully also use the plastic bags at groceries, Target, Walmart and such on occasion because we recycle those bags and donate them to our local food pantry to use when we're handing food out to clients. Saves us from spending pantry resources just to buy bags. We have a drive at the church just for the bags ;)

We also repurpose bags for bin liners and cat box cleaning (veg. bags, other sized small bags, etc). We rarely just throw out a plastic bag.

[DawnMarch]

we recycle those bags and donate them to our local food pantry to use when we're handing food out to clients. Saves us from spending pantry resources just to buy bags. We have a drive at the church just for the bags

oh, that's a really good idea! I also read in the paper that Phoenix has a pilot program where instead of having the city buy doggy waste bags to stock at the local parks, they have new containers at the park where you can put your extra plastic bags for people to use for their dogs.

[jessica31876]

I kinda recycle....I reuse them for other stuff. My kids use them to take stuff to school that they dont want in a backpack. They use them for clothes when they are going to spend the night out somewhere. We use them in the bathroom for garbage bags in the trash can so we dont have to buy the ones made to fit that tiny can. So while I do not take them anywhere to recycle them I dont just toss them in the trash either without using them for some other purpose.

[kscwgirl]

we can't recycle them so we reuse.

[MamaK]

we have to take them to Safeway or Walmart to recycle them and you're right... they collect fast!!

[Linz]

most (if not all) of our grocery stores have bins where we can recycle them. so yep, we do.

[livelys]

We use canvass ones, and try to use any plastic ones as bin bags etc until they have to be recycled. Our Council is just about to step up their recycling programme so we will be able to recycle just about anything - from old bags to any and all waste food, you name it. Hooray - finally!

[WalkersMommy]

Here in WA it is super easy to recycle. We have a big can, bigger than our garbage can, that is picked up every other week :) We recycle everything we can.

[DawnMarch]

We have a big recycle bin here too, Fairon, which is great. But they don't take plastic bags (and I think most recycling companies don't) which is not so great.

[Stacey42]

We take some back to Safeway for recycling and we reuse others. I have canvas and fabric totes that I use most of the time but Wal mart cashiers always behave as if I am causing them the inconvenience of a lifetime when I use them. They are Eco sacks. They are the exact same size & shape as wal mart's plastic bags. They are designed to hook over the bag holders just like a regular plastic bag does but most of the cashiers just look at me and say "I don't have any place for these. You'll have to bag them yourself." Some of them are fine with them but most of them give me such a hassle I don't bother using them there.

[MamaBee]

Ooopppsss... want to change my vote... I don't recycle, but reuse them too... garbage cans, carrying stuff to my Mom's, and also as cushion when shipping a package.

[sprauncey1]

We use canvas bags for most trips but still accumulate a few plastic ones (we don't get the newspaper so we don't get those) for dirty diapers while we are out or for recycling our cans and stuff since there is no curb service here.

Visiting my grandparents a month ago I saw how my grandpa had neatly folded all the plastic bags and rubber banded them together and they only use them for their garbage bags. So neat and tidy, but of course they don't make much trash either so it totally works for them.

[krystalhartley]

We reuse and recycle. We do a lot of recycling. Sometimes, when I haven't remembered to put out the stuff for a couple of pickups, I start muttering stuff about not loving the planet enough to let the plastic, paper, and jars take over my life. But yeah...we even had to request extra recycle bins from the city.

We do have to take the unused grocery bags elsewhere for recycling though.

[Sharon Kay]

Yes, but I also re-use them. I use them for DH's lunch, for trash bags in the bathrooms, as trash bags in the car, for packing and transporting breakables, and anything else that requires a small flimsy container. I always keep some, then recycle the rest. They pile up fast.

I bought reusable grocery bags but I always forget them. =\

Me too! ...except from what I have heard from a few people the store recycling of bags isn't happening...they are getting thrown away...we just "thought" they were recycling...so technically we still don't have a place to recycle them...

I forget mine too...I put them in the van and don't remember about them until we're checking out most times.

[meganmecrazy]

When I don't have my canvas bags with me and use plastic, yes, I do recycle them at our grocery store (they have a big container to put them in for recycle.

[isaacsmom]

We started recycling everything we could about a year ago. We had always reused our plastic bags before that, but now we recycle all of them. We are a family of 3 and we are down to 1 bag of trash for our whole family for one week. We used to not be able to fit everything in our big trash tote and now its funny because there is one lonely bag in the bottom each week. Recycling makes a HUGE difference! And its great because my 4 year old is really into it too!

[RatherBScrappin]

We're more of a re-user family...I use them when I clean out the cat litter box, for small garbage cans around the house, etc. I've got the canvas bags for grocery shopping and I'm trying to get in the habit of actually bringing them into the store! I tend to get to the check out and then say, "Crap, I forgot them" and then end up with paper bags!

[MamaBee]

Food for thought if you have to choose paper or plastic at the checkout... My DH designs the machines that make garbage bags... The biggest argument for plastic is the raw materials and energy to produce and recycle (if they get recycled) a plastic bag is significantly less (about 90%) then to produce a paper bag.

Then to be fair, the other side of the argument...

The argument against plastic is the bags that aren’t recycled sit in a landfill for a lot longer since they don’t biodegrade very quickly.

:)

[mrshobbes]

Over here plastic bags are really more the norm than exception, so yes I recycle them. A friend of mine even taught me how to fold them into tight triangles for easier storage. I just label them S, M, L (small, medium, large) with a Sharpie so I don't keep unfolding them to find out what size they are.

I find I like folding them, haha. It's relaxing for me, though sometimes I admit I do get lazy and just squish them all into a shopping bag until I can get to them :p

[NeverendingJen]

I use reusable bags when I can, and all my plastic ones get used either as kitty litter bags or for holding diapers of the kids I babysit, lol

[*Celeste*]

i use reusuable bags. the few plastic ones become kitty litter bags.

[rach3975]

I didn't vote because I'm an "other." We mostly use canvas bags for all kinds of shopping, but there are still times we forget them or buy more than will fit in the bags we brought and end up with plastic. We reuse them for DH's lunches and small garbage bags. The only ones I throw out are the small produce bags and used ziplocks. I know I should probably recycle them at the grocery store, but there are only a handful each week and I have too many things hanging around the house to be dealt with later as it is.

Our curbside recycling program seems limited to me. We recycle everything we can through it, but lots of things that are technically recyclable aren't accepted so we end up tossing them.

[kim21673]

We reuse them...have our own little plastic bag dispenser at home. Plastic bags are the only thing that our town doesn't take in the recycling bin but we do have a full bin of other recycling stuff every week!!!

[kim21673]

I use reusable bags when I can, and all my plastic ones get used either as kitty litter bags or for holding diapers of the kids I babysit, lol

This is what ours is used for...kitty litter, dirty diapers and our small garbage cans!!

[FireWolf]

Plastic gets picked up here once a month...we actually can get fined and they can refuse to empty the cans if we don't sort our trash properly.

[lauren grier]

i use them for litter box cleaning

[Sarah8914]

we use ours for diapers and small trash bags. But we also use reusable ones at the grocery store so we don't have too many.

[KateD]

I think it's interesting how things seemed to have changed a bit since the thread was first started a couple of years ago. It seems like more people are able to recycle their plastic bags, but more of us also seem to be using the reusable bags. I rarely ever use anything except for my reusable bags- and I'm getting my family trained to also use reusables or just hand-carry small purchases. I like to have a few plastic bags, though, in case I have to make a return.

[joelsgirl]

Dude. This thread is SO. OLD. It's crackin' me up reading through the folks who were active here in 2009.

I reuse my plastic bags. They've started a plastic free weekend here in our city, so you have to pay 20 cents for a plastic bag. It's funny how so little money can provide SO MUCH guilt at using a plastic bag!

[nikkiARNGwife]

We have nowhere to recycle either. But I do reuse them...they work great in small bathroom trash cans and they make great padding for DH's care packages..plus he says they use them over there too when I send him stuff.

Wait...why is thread back?? I just realized that lol

[Darcy Baldwin]

there was probably some spam that brought it back up.

[BrattyMeg]

there was probably some spam that brought it back up.

there was :) but lexi has already posted after it so I just left her post lol

[pewtertm]

We reuse them for small trash can liners, scooping the cat litter, and for picking up Bear's mess when we take him for a walk (the park's bag dispenser is usually empty).

[mariewilcox]

I use canvas/fabric bags for all shopping - even at the mall for clothes. I have several foldable ones that fit in my purse and I have some cute quilted ones that I've made, so we just always take those to the stores with us.

On the rare occasion that I do have some kicking around I use them to line trash cans and keep on hand for when a kid is here and has wet/dirty clothes to take back home, etc. (My niece and nephew spend a lot of time here).

[Darcy Baldwin]

If you donate food to food pantries, they can always use your extra grocery bags, too - we're always running low at ours for clients, and having people donate helps keep our expenses down!

[color of my heart]

we use them for the small trash cans we have around the apartment. i also use them in my car, and when i bring supplies back and forth to classes. my roommate uses them when she brings food to work (she refuses to use the lunch box that i have).

we have reusable bags for the grocery store. but 85% of the time? i forget about them. and when i do my shopping, they sit at home and i end up with 10 more plastic grocery bags.

[NatalieKW]

I don't recycle them, but I do reuse them for the most part.

[emmasmommy]

we don't recycle, but do reuse

[newfiemountiewife]

I said no, but I guess I do, because I use them in my small trash can under the kitchen sink lol. So I guess I don't technically, but they are all used over again!

[Jengerbread88]

I don't recycle mine, but I re-use them. I re-use many of them for Zach's diapers- they're the perfect size to work as a trash bag for his trash can. I also use them as trash bags for my office and the bathrooms.

We've also used them again for art projects, etc.

The ones we don't use, we try to take back to the stores that collect them, but most of ours get used.

[lovely1m]

I don't recycle them traditionally, but I do use them again as trash bags.

[MichaelsMomJo]

I reuse and recycle them.

[mrshobbes]

LOL I didn't even check the date to see how old this was! LOL Sorry, Meghan!

[jessica31876]

I just saw this thread and tried to vote on the poll and was like wait how come I cant vote? LOL Then I looked at the dates and saw how old it was. Stupid spammers. Well I think my answer is still the same. I use the bags for all sorts of thing. When I go to Jo-Anne's fabric I buy their reusable bags for my stuff because they are so cute. I use them to keep my projects all together too (like right now I am making a queen sized blanket). All my yarn is all in one bag along with the needles and the blanket.

[nonnie]

Sometimes I wish I could just throw them away - we have 5 garbage cans and will get a huge fine if we do not recycle (throw away plastic in misc garbage or paper in plastic)