Pam S

I opened up a Rubbermaid tub with some UFOs in it and was horrified to find a bunch of little plastic bag pieces laying all over the top of the fabrics. Haven't had any mouse problems but I was afraid one had somehow gotten into the tub even though it was sealed tight and chewed up everything. Then I tried to remove the top project which was in a dept store bag and the whole bag disintegrated in my hands. There was just enough left of the bag bottom to read the word "biodegradable". That particular UFO has been in the tub about 4 years so now I know how long those bags last and they certainly won't be clogging up the land fill a hundred years from now!
And yes, I know I shouldn't store fabric in plastic bags but I really didn't intend to leave that one unfinished for so long. I just forgot about it.

willferg

Four years, give or take – good to know!

flamelily

It's my understanding that although the bags do break down the little bits of plastic that are left NEVER will and those are the bits that will clog everything up. Here in Wales we have to buy the plastic bags if we need them instead of the shops/supermarkets just handing them out by the millions, but mostly we all use fabric bags or buy the Bags for Life as sold by the supermarkets. I for one am just too mean to pay 5p for a plastic bag! It has made a huge difference to the problem of plastic bags just being discarded and now we almost all carry our own bags where ever we go.

running1

Even though it took a bit of practice to change old habits, I, too, am now carrying fabric bags to the grocery...or practically anywhere I'll need a bag. I keep them in the car at all times...empty them when I get home and hang the bags on the door knob so I'll carry them out when I go to the car. One grocery has begun giving me a small (very small) rebate for using my own bags!! Every little bit really does matter!!!

JanieH

I wish Houston would go plastic bag-less. I also carry fabric bags and when I do get plastic ones, try to make sure I recycle them.

Onebyone

I tried using the reusable bags. They aren't for me. I didn't like washing the bags every time food was put in them. More water and power used to wash the bags. . One time I took in the fabric bags and the cashier, an adult, packed my groceries in plastic and then put the plastic bags in the fabric bags. LOL.
All the stores I shop from have a choice of paper or plastic.

Lisa_wanna_b_quilter

I had to laugh a bit at your story. Last fall my FIL bagged his leaves in black bags and stored them in his garage. Somehow, he had decided he'd save them and put them on his garden this spring. Without knowing it, he used biodegradable bags, too. He kept thinking there was a mouse problem in the garage and finally decided to get the bags out. Everyone lifted fell apart. The mess was amazing!

lynnie

I NEED those good old paper bags to ship stuff in and can't find them anymore. I used to make my own packageing out of them, now I have to buy envelopes in the store. Bummer!

ube quilting

Hooray for fabric bags! No more plastic bags!!!
peace

mrsjdt

I too, use cloth bags; doing what you do---empty it , hang it on the door knob to go back to the car and use them again. And then I watched a video about the bacteria on them from "one trip" to the store---(more germs than a toilet seat).they now get washed each time I use them (which sometimes makes me think maybe plastic isn't so bad)