I don't know where this bag came from, but the bottom is the interesting part that made me think.
PAPER
The Natural Package
*recyclable
*reusable
*degradable
*renewable
This product contains recycled material
Yes, I have a paper bag! As I read this, I could only think of the flaws in the convincing wording, meant to reassure consumers and to convince consumers of the rightness and goodness of using the paper bag.
The bag is definitely recyclable. But, how many people will actually recycle it? If it gets wet or food stains it, the recycling facility will not want it.
The bag is reusable. How many times can it be reused before it is torn. Once the bag tears, I could never use it again. If it does not function, it is no longer usable. Of course, it can be used to start a fire, I suppose? It can become and craft tool/material.
The bag is degradable. But, what other substances are now in the wood product. This bag won't be killing fish or floating around, hanging in trees and fences. It will work in a compost bin.
The trees from which the bag comes are definitely renewable in that more trees will grow. But, how many years old must a tree be in order to cut it and make more bags? 20? 40? I did not look it up. Since there are more trees still available while we are waiting for the replacement to grow, virgin forests can be consumed. Maybe not. What chemicals are used? How much water? How much energy?
At least the bag contains recycled material.
As I read this label stamped on the bottom of the bag, I thought back to a movie I saw and my thoughts then. As I watched HAWAII, I marveled at the shipping containers. There was not one metal shipping container or huge plastic bin used to contain and transport merchandise coming to the island. Of course, the burlap bags and large and small wooden crates were manufactured from raw materials just like the paper bag I have or the alternative--plastic.
The difference? A burlap bag will last much longer in use. No trees that took decades to grow are cut. Burlap bags will not kill fish.
Reusable bags that last longer than our present choices, paper or plastic, would be perfect. Reusing colorful bags for Christmas wrapping is one way to cut down on wrapping paper. There are quite a few other ideas for not using paper or plastic.
I will stop since I could write about this for days. Almost all of my bags I have had for twenty years are gone. So, I have to start over. In antiquity, an animal skin from a consumed animal could be used to carry items. Pottery that still exists was used to transport items in ships. Okay, I am stopping here.
I know some cities and stores either ban or no longer made free plastic or paper bags as a matter of course. Hopefully, that will come to our city or area. But, this paper bag is not the solution to our problems. It is not the natural package we need to use.
Do you use paper, plastic, or reusable bags? I use a mixture.
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No plastic bags allowed in my town. We can pay 5 cents for a paper bag. Most people now bring reusabe cloth or heavy plastic bags with them.
ReplyDeleteBarbara,
DeleteI hope that happens here. When I get my stock up on reusable bags, I will cloth. Thanks.
Some stores here only give out plastic bags (like Walmart). I reuse them or take them to a recycle box when there are too many. And I use paper bags for a lot of things. We put garbage in them that goes to the dump. I also always have one handy for anything I am donating. We get free reusable bags at the Farmers Market and I use them over and over also.
ReplyDeleteAnn,
DeleteSome stores do only give out plastic. I wish my Farmer's Market gave free reusable bags. I reuse bags. one guy I know just takes them back, all clean and unused because he does not like plastic in his house. I always think he should get reusable ones or reuse the plastic bags until they fall apart.
We use all three types of bags. For major shopping, stock-up trips we use plastic tubs/bins.They are usable for years and years, or until you step away from your cart for a minute and someone steals them from the shelf under the cart, which happened to my husband a couple of years ago. My husband prefers the bins,but they are too heavy for me with groceries in them. I prefer plastic bags at Walgreens, and my big insulated washable cloth tote for meats at the store I buy meat and other cloth bags for other items at that store. I also will use paper bags at the store that offers them.
ReplyDeleteWe almost need a special closet for all of our various shopping totes, reusable bags, insulated totes, and plastic bags that, after bringing our items home in them, we use for other stuff at home.
I never thought of using plastic bins for shopping. It is a great idea. However, I cannot lift one either. I cannot believe anyone would steal bins from your cart.
DeleteWhere did you get an insulated and WASHABLE tote?
I do like a good paper bag, but figure a tree was destroyed. Oh well, some days I want a paper bag.
I must have had 30 or 40 bags before they went to the dump. They would make me crazy until I used a large bag to fold and put all the smaller bags into one. That lasted for a few weeks until I got them all messed up again...lol.
My daughter gave us the insulated, washable, or at least wet cloth wipe-able tote. They had gotten a selection of grass fed meat in it. My son in law is, for the most part,the cook at their house, and he likes to try different things. They always have new to me foods at their house. At Thanksgiving I asked for some salt for my mashed potatoes, as I am not a big gravy fan. They went in to their kitchen and brought out a glass shaker of pink Himalayan salt. It's the only kind they use. I had heard of pink salt before but never had it until then. It tasted salty. They also drink pea milk, which I had absolutely never heard of. I don't like peas, so I can't even imagine what pea milk would taste like (it must be awfully difficult to milk a pea, considering how tiny they are:)
ReplyDeleteWe use the tissues that come in a square box and I wind plastic bags around my hand and stuff them into an empty tissue box. You would be amazed at how many plastic bags (Walgreens or Dollar General size) will fit into one of those boxes, and then you can easily grab one out when needed and it takes so little space.
Susie,
DeleteI never liked green peas and then found out I am allergic to peas. NOPE, I stick to cow milk. I have tried pink salt, too. A tissue box will hold lots of plastic bags.
Kroger used to ask you, "Paper or plastic?" but now they seem to be using plastic bags exclusively. I bring my own insulated bags (that I bought at Publix) for cold and frozen stuff and generally let them use their teeny-weeny plastic bags for the other stuff. I am at the verge of bringing my own cloth totes for the other stuff. Going to Aldi helped school me as they don't provide any bags at all; you have to bring your own. It seemed strange at first but after a while you develop a new habit and it seems normal. Thank you, Aldi!
ReplyDeleteWhen I forgot my cloth bags, I would throw everything on the front seat of the car, take it home and use my cloth bags to bring it in. I have only been in Aldi about six times and never buy over one or two things, so that is not an inconvenience to not have a bag. But, people seem okay with no bags.
DeleteI live in the interior of British Columbia, CA. We are well into bans on plastic bags and straws. I make sure to cut up the plastic rings that hold together cans. Our transfer stations (dumps) are set up with collection bins and we sort our own recycling. I have a few reusable bags for my shopping. What I *really* want to have is a woven tote bag but that's an investment of 15-40 dollars. I do all my household and clothing shopping at thrift stores or through local buy and sells on facebook. Today I'm picking up a small heater, for free! I recently moved into a new space and found quality vintage items for my kitchen, like a Cuisinart electric kettle, a 70's coffee maker, and a Proctor Silex blender as well as all my pots and pans, dishes, cutlery, knives, etc. I prefer to buy everything from thrifting. I also have a king size feather duvet and cover that cost me $4. I found 2 double beds and a frame and a red corduroy couch for free on the buy and sell. My new space is beigey and I wanted the splash of colour :) Love your posts!
ReplyDeletediana,
Deleteyou have done well. I considered going online for household things. But, I don't know where places are, like cities in the county. Plus, neither of us can lift much. With both our walkers in the Rogue, it can hold little. I just try not to bring on drama.
Thank you for the compliment~yes I could not do so much thrifting in a city, so I hear you. My closest town population is 20,000. I live about 30 mins away and my town's population is 750. I'm curious now about why it is so that I can furnish an entire home and my wardrobe and kitchen for about $40 with that small population.
ReplyDeleteI got many free things when I was in better shape. I got about 21 free shirts one time. I sent some to grandson for football camp, and Tommy is wearing 8 of the ones I got. I never got anything large because help is not easy to find, since guys want money most of the time. I would be curious to know why, too.
Deleteand! I'm 60 years old. I get help when I've gotten big items, and I try to make purchases in trips. I wouldn't drive 20 minutes for a 5 dollar toaster. Like you I cost factor everything out.
ReplyDeleteI am 73 and get offers of help if I can do my part. Nope, cannot lift the other end of a sofa or chair. In a town of 16,000, I only found free things I would have in a city 50 miles away. I did get a yogurt maker free, but the woman took it to my female friend and Tommy picked it up from her, then brought it to me next trip.
DeleteI use a mixture of plastic and reusable bags. I have been shopping at Aldi more and more so I use the reusable bags. We use the plastic bags that we get at Kroger for when Rebecca cleans out the litter boxes each night.
ReplyDeleteRachel,
DeleteI think lots of people do just that. I am short on reusable ones since August. That is great Rachel cleans out the litter boxes each night. How many cats do you have to need multiple litter boxes?
Try to use paper.
ReplyDeleteR's Rue,
DeleteWhy?
We use mostly reusable bags, but sometimes forget them and have to get a traditional bag. It's so mush better for the environment though to use something over and over again.
ReplyDeleteWhen I forgot bags, I often unloaded the groceries onto the front seat rather than use a plastic bag. I am less conscientious now, unfortunately. I do use the plastic ones over and over and recycle. however, my preference is a canvas reusable bag.
DeleteI, too, use a mixture. Our grocery stores and drug stores such as CVS, charge 10 cents per bag, plastic or paper, so, I usually take a reusable tote bag when I grocery shop, etc. When I do get plastic bags from some stores or restaurants, etc., I reuse them, usually for litter box cleanings. If I get paper bags, I reuse them, too, until they tear, then, they go in the recycling bin.
ReplyDeleteBless,
ReplyDeleteI wish no stores gave out plastic bags or charged for them. I would be on board with that.