It’s time to ditch your plastic bag habit.
Maybe you’ve gotten used to bringing your own reusable tote bags to the grocery store, but did you know you can use them other places, too?
We are facing a massive problem when it comes to overuse of plastic bags.
We often accept them without even thinking about it, using plastic bags to transport things from a store to our cars into our houses. And then they get thrown away, which means they end up in a landfill, or worse, around the body of a bird.
Most of the time, these single use plastic bags end up in our waterways, where they might break down a little bit, but only into teeny tiny little particles where they seem virtually undetectable, but end up in fish (which you then might eat) or our water supply.
Who wants a nice fresh glass of plastic water?
Yum.
Anyway, it’s super simple to avoid plastic bags.
Here are a few ways to ditch your plastic bag habit:
BYOB
I mean, I know this is obvious, but just bring your own bags EVERYWHERE.
If you tend to be a little forgetful, hang your reusable bags on your front door or your garage door. Leave a few reusable bags in your car. Make it really, really easy to always have a few reusable bags on hand.
JUST SAY NO
There are plenty of things that might not even need bags. Like when you get a prescription filled at the pharmacy, you can pass on the plastic bag and just carry the prescription or put it in your purse/handbag/backpack/fanny pack.
When you get new shoes, you can just carry the box(es) in your arms. They don’t require a big plastic bag.
If you’re going to the grocery store to get a single carton of milk, you don’t need a bag. You can actually just carry it out of the store as is.
I know. Crazy, right?
USE IT UP
If you have a bunch of plastic bags lying around your house right now, you have a few options to maximize their use.
You can bring them with you to the grocery store/Target/Home Depot/wherever and use them like reusable bags until they wear out. You’ll know. Trust me.
Once you’re done with them, look into recycling them. Lots of stores will collect clean plastic bags and recycle them. Whole Foods, Walmart, Albertsons, and Publix are some of the stores I know that do this.
It’s not perfect. Recycling plastic bags isn’t the best option, but it’s better than just putting them in the trash.
Need some reminders of places where you can refuse plastic bags?
Here is an incomplete list:
Grocery store
Target
Walmart
Pharmacy
Shoe Store
Bookstore
CVS/Walgreens
Home Depot/Lowe’s
Any hardware store
Any clothing store
Anywhere you’re buying Back-to-School Supplies
Farmer’s Market
Gardening Supply stores
Art supply stores (Michael’s/JoAnn’s/Hobby Lobby)
Knitting Supply Stores
Hair Salon (if you’re getting new shampoo/conditioner/fancy hair stuff)
Point is, there are loads of places where you might usually get plastic bags where you don’t need them. You can be prepared, have your own bags handy, or live on the edge and carry out your purchases in your arms.
It’s not as bonkers as you think and totally worthwhile if you’re looking to reduce your plastic bag use.
Got any to add to this list?
Leave them in the comments below!
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