5 cents for a plastic grocery bag? Any easy patterns recommended?

Here's another link with pics of the bags.

http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=...741F58&first=1

another link

http://pinterest.com/search/?q=grocery+bag+tutorial

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Originally Posted by coopah

My DS lives in the PNW and is charged 5 cents for each plastic grocery bag every time he shops! Does anyone know of a bag pattern that is quick and easy, but would be good for groceries? He eats a lot of fresh produce (dunno if they charge for those bags, yet). I'm thinking the bags should be able to be reversed, so they could be used more than once before washing. I know the pollution arguments for not using plastic, but now he'll be using water, detergent, and energy to wash these bags. Sometimes what seems to make sense...doesn't.

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Our local Aldi store sells plastic bags for 10 cents apiece and 5 cents for paper. They sold some "green" canvas bags for awhile, though, and I just bought those for a dollar apiece. They're reusable and sturdy and work for me. :D

I don't know if you have them there but my grocery store has plastic bins with black carrying straps that you buy for $5. I bought 2 and I can get most of my grocery items in them and I can wipe them out with a Clorax wipe. I watched a program that said fabric grocery bags need to be washed regularly to keep the germs out of them.

When I go shopping...about once a month for a large shopping list, I end up with 10-15 bags of groceries. I then reuse the bags for trash can bags or donate to my library. Also, my Krogers have "recyclable bins" to bring back your plastic bags. Somehow, I just can't see me hauling 10-15 bags to the grocery store...just my opinion!!

I agree, sometimes we can cut off our nose to spite our face in the "green world"!!

Why can't you wash the plastic bags in soapy water and reuse them? I bought a bunch of bags that I use, but I use the vegetable bags to wrap my meat before I put it in my bags. I wash my bags after a couple of uses, but I don't get anything on them because I wrap everything in vegie bags that can leak.

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Originally Posted by lynndianne

I think I would buy one of the bags that the grocery store (or Wally World) sells. Take it apart and use it for a pattern.
I must have 30 bags that I have collected over the years in my trunk.

Lynn

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At least 30!! My other half works for Meijer so we get new ones each time a different design comes out. Our friends know that we are big into recycling so they actually buy us a bag when they travel. We have them from all over the states!!! (and St. Croix!)

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Originally Posted by Nanamoms

W Somehow, I just can't see me hauling 10-15 bags to the grocery store...just my opinion!!

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Me too! I can't see me walking in the store with an arm full of bags and keeping them in the cart with the groceries. I don't buy a few items at a time. That's a waste of my time. When I grocery shop, I shop to stock.

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Originally Posted by Nanamoms

When I go shopping...about once a month for a large shopping list, I end up with 10-15 bags of groceries. I then reuse the bags for trash can bags or donate to my library. Also, my Krogers have "recyclable bins" to bring back your plastic bags. Somehow, I just can't see me hauling 10-15 bags to the grocery store...just my opinion!!

I agree, sometimes we can cut off our nose to spite our face in the "green world"!!

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Originally Posted by BellaBoo

Me too! I can't see me walking in the store with an arm full of bags and keeping them in the cart with the groceries. I don't buy a few items at a time. That's a waste of my time. When I grocery shop, I shop to stock.

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You eventually get in the habit of taking the bags in with you. I take a bag into every store I go to, not just the grocery store. Now, I'm not saying I don't forget the bags in the car sometimes because that does happen. I do re use the plastic bags from the stores as garbage bags too so I get lots of use out of them. If I get a big supply of them, I will take them to Meijer and put in their grocery bag recycling bin.

Also, I have read that several cities are going to the practice of charging for each plastic bag due to the large amount of littering of the bags. A nickle might not mean much to some of us but to some people it is everything.

I live in the PNW, and as of August in the city I live in, stores cannot provide plastic bags or they will be fined. We have to take our own reusable bags. If we don't remember them, or don't have enough and need a bag, the stores can provide paper bags, but have to charge us 5 cents for them. The hardest part is remembering to take bags with me when I go to the mall. I'm used to it at grocery stores, but not when shopping at the mall. We have used reusable bags for a long time, but I don't like being told I have to. Sometimes government goes too far.

Many places in California have outlawed the plastic bags and charge .10 for paper. I just know I have to take in my bags, I even use the lingerie laundry bags for produce. The plastic bags end up in the environment and are harmful to the wildlife. They eat them and it kills them. Bags are easy to make from an old t-shirt. http://www.vanillajoy.com/tutorials/...t-bag-tutorial