So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

Tiperetha — Tue, 29 Jul 2008 17:19:06 GMT

I started using cloth bags to bring home my groceries and then ended up with the same problem - what to line my small garbage cans with? I ended up making myself some cloth garbage can liners (with elastic at the top to help them stay on) for my small bedroom and bathroom garbage cans. When they get dirty I wash them. It is really much more attractive than the plastic bags used to be. When I take out the garbage I just empty them into the larger kitchen garbage (that I do buy plastic bags for, although I buy the ones made from recycled plastic.) It works for me.

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

KBerry — Sun, 20 Jul 2008 09:17:35 GMT

Back in the 1950's I remember Mom shopping in the small German town we lived in and she took canvas or heavy crocheted yarn bags to put her purchases in so non paper or plastic bags are nothing new. Myself I have 5 canvas bags and a large insulated zipper bag (holds 40 pounds of frozen items from Sam's warehouse) which I keep in the car at all times. Because I hate folding up all the plastic bags but definitely do not want to pollute the air by burning them, let them blow free, or take up household or landfill space, I prefer the canvas bags over the plastic. Since I fold my plastic bags ,Wal Mart has willy nilly received any white plastic bags I accumulate when I turn them in for recycling no matter where I got them from,plastic is plastic. The only positive thing about bags blowing in the wind occurs when they get wrapped about a pasture fence as it helps the horses to learn blowing/waving things are nothing to fear while letting them see where the wire fence is so they do not run into it by accident if they are being chased or were spooked by something. I also use them to line small trash cans by the bed and in the bathroom for those few unexpected ER. times someone needs to vomit and they cannot make it to the toilet or already have their back end on the toilet as it makes clean up easier. I understand that there are pattern directions for making welcome mats for the door from the bags. I didn't like it when stores went from paper bags, which can compost, to plastic bags but went with the flow as the plastic bags had the handle which made it easier to handle more than one bag at a time. In hind sight I would have preferred to go from the paper bags to the canvas bags saved the landfills and developed the habit of automatically grabbing the bags when getting out of the car (but would missed out on the weight I lost to making the extra round trip to the car to retrieve them before going thru the check out line). As for the law makers out lawing the plastic bags .... face it most Americans will always take the easier way unless forced by a law or, in the case of the gasoline prices, the high cost to change their ways. Not because we are bad but because we have always been a nation of plenty with little need to consider the results of seemingly insignificant actions. In the words of a fluffy owl when my kids were little: "GIVE A HOOT DON"T POLLUTE!"

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

Linda L. Moffit — Thu, 29 May 2008 03:54:16 GMT

With all of the wise comments applying to plastic bags and their hopefully near demise, I am surprised that so many people seem to advocate shopping at WalMart!! WM may very well be as destructive to our planet as the loathesome plastic bags. When are people going to get it that the wise and conscientious consumer will not be buying anything from WalMart.

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

Danielle — Thu, 22 May 2008 17:11:51 GMT

Reusing plastic bags is great, in theory, and we do it in our family for everything we can think of. But for the fact that most plastic grocery bags that I seem to receive are flimsy, poorly constructed, and already have holes in them, I'd reuse them until I die. You'd think that if one were going to make something that takes 5000 years to disintegrate, one would also make it sturdy and durable so that it COULD be reused indefinitely.

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

Cal — Wed, 21 May 2008 06:34:32 GMT

143 is genuis? Hmm Hope they changed the test I was 185 and barely a genuis. Anyway what ever happened to "plastic" bags made from corn husks? Banning bags that makes sence if people just buy others. I bet stores would love this no buying and more selling. I will not even go to Sam's club becuase of no bags I would love another reason to grow more veggies and maybe start on my meat farming again. I love cutting expenses and since I decided to do more tele commuting I have gained an extra 5 hours a week to play

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

Kitty — Wed, 21 May 2008 02:55:32 GMT

Hey I have found a craft that uses the bags cut into rings that I then make into a kind of yarn and crochet the plastic yarn into REUSEable open weave shopping bags. I understand that not everyone will have the time or skill to make something from plastic bags but it makes me feel better, I also make reusable shopping bags from old Tee Shirts.. if a person can reuse a plastic bag many times before it is toast that will help!

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

m.e. — Wed, 21 May 2008 00:30:30 GMT

Where do you buy the biodegradable poopie bags? I have four cats and clean the litter box (actually it's a kiddie pool filled with litter-works great) every day. Right now I am using plastic bags from the grocery store.

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

k miller — Wed, 21 May 2008 00:27:37 GMT

I think they should go back to paper. But no, they want to sell you a cloth bag. We had paper before, lets go back to paper bags!

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

DrLes — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:38:48 GMT

As a member of MENSA, I must confess that I found Dr. Mark's observations a bit unsettling. Such contempt for the average Joe is indeed, sad. The fact that an educated person would make such a statement without shame or embarrassment is a bit shocking. Don't get me wrong, we all harbor various prejudices, however I would hope that people would try to find enlightenment and understanding rather than a venue to advertise our contempt. Back to plastic bags...

re: So long, free trashcan liners -- hello, healthier planet

read and laugh — Tue, 20 May 2008 22:36:05 GMT

Walmart is gonna set up stores around the world, and wipe out the smaller ones. When all the other stores go out of buisness then Walmart will raise the prices. durrrrrdurdurdurdur hehe