A fun reuse/recycle idea for your plastic bags
Posted on Monday, December 3rd, 2007 at 6:03 pmSo you have a lot of plastic bags (that you’re no longer going to be accepting at the grocery store because you’re now using reusable bags), and you might be concerned about what actually happens to those bags when you take them to be recycled by turning them back into the stores. Here’s something fun that you can do at home to reuse and recycle those bags, and possibly create a simplified holiday gift from the heart.
(Granted, we don’t recommend that you buy a backpack from a thrift store just for the parts–that kind of defeats the reuse/recycle theme here. See what you can find around your house, through freecycle, craigslist, and other such venues. You’d be amazed what’s out there!)
Update: I tried it over the weekend and it really was fun and easy! I made a small little pouch that seems to be quite durable.
Reusing is a great idea, but burning plastic releases toxic fumes. Wouldn’t heating plastic do the same? If you must try this, it might be best to do it in a super-ventilated space.
posted on December 6th, 2007 at 2:53 amBeing that I am not a scientist, I turned to Google searching to try and find the answer to this question. I’m finding two main arguments.
1. You are releasing toxins by heating the plastic and should thus do this next to an open window at the very least.
2. Because you are fusing (and not melting) the plastic together at a low temperature, you are not releasing toxins.
I’d err on the side of caution and do this project in a well-ventilated space, as Rejin suggests. Good luck!
posted on December 6th, 2007 at 6:43 pmAll this is idiotic. USE a reusable cloth bag for all your groceries! Yes I got some weird looks when I moved in my new neighborhood but now they don’t touch my groceries but just shove them down toward me so I can put them in my bag myself as they’re being rung up. Cloth bags RULE!
posted on December 6th, 2007 at 7:20 pmDon’t burn, CHANGE! USE RESUABLE CLOTH BAGS!!
posted on December 6th, 2007 at 7:22 pmWhoa Tami, no need to get mean. I think it’s pretty clear that New Dream is advocating for people to use reusable bags first considering their challenge this month is Bring Your Own Bag (in case you missed it, look at the header).
This post was clearly meant to be something fun with the bags that you do have at home. Don’t hate on an organization that’s trying to keep things fun.
posted on December 6th, 2007 at 8:03 pmWell, I have and use cloth bags BUT not everyone does. My grocery store has a collection bin for recycling the plastic bags. If I forget the cloth or need more bags that I brought, I grab a few from this bin. At first I thought people would think this was a bit odd, but then people reported doing this themselves after seeing me do it, especially when the store ran a raffle for those who brought their own! Then, because they are so small and lightweight, I pack a couple in my backpack. The recycle bin gets them back when they have ripped.
posted on December 10th, 2007 at 1:06 pmWhat are people using for trash bags?? I have no problem using cloth bags at the grocery store, but I do not buy plastic trash bags. Instead, I choose the plastic (sometimes paper) bags for groceries and reuse them as my trash bags. So I’ll keep taking the store’s bags until there’s a good alternative to trash bags at home! Any suggestions? (I have to use bags as I have a daycare… dirty diapers).
posted on December 11th, 2007 at 10:05 pmI would love to address the question Lara posed about trash bags. It’s understandable that you need trash bags and maybe reusing plastic bags is a good choice for you, but you can still bring your own bags to the store and get plastic bags other ways. For instance, most grocery stores have a bin for people to bring their bags back to the store for recycling - this is great and all, but unfortunately it’s not cost efficient to recycle them in the U.S. so a lot of these bags that should be destined for recycling (which is still much more resource intense then not using them at all) end up getting shipped abroad to be incinerated in countries where the environmental laws are much more lax. Shipping them abroad is resource intensive as well, so trying to recycling them can actually result in more environmental costs. My suggestion to those who need plastic bags for trash is to take some from these bins. Then you are not adding to bag use yourself, and finding a purpose for what is now a “waste product.” And I’m sure everyone knows those people with HUGE stashes of plastic bags in their kitchens that they’ll never use - i’m sure they would be happy if you took some off their hands. OR put a posting on freecycle asking for someone’s extra bags - i’m sure you’ll get LOTS of responses. There never seems to be a shortage of bags so it shouldn’t be hard to get your hands on all you need!
Also, you can consider purchasing bags that are biodegradable (lots available made from corn i.e. biobags) or bags that are made post-consumer recycled plastic. Lastly, don’t forget you can reduce the amount of trash you produce (and therefore the amount of bags you need) through many strategies (i.e. composting, recycling what you can, reducing your purchases, and striving to buy products with minimal packaging).
posted on December 12th, 2007 at 6:14 pmAlternatively, don’t use a trash bag at all. If you compost your food waste, you won’t have wet garbage and won’t need a trash bag liner. Also, if we are careful about avoiding products with a lot of unrecyclable packaging, we can avoid garbage in that way too.
Composting is not as hard as people think it is. If you live in an apartment, you still have options. We purchased an Urban Compost Tumbler for our roof deck. Others use a worm bin or a bokashi bucket. And if you have curbside pickup of food scraps and yard waste for composting, you don’t ever need to throw wet food garbage into the waste can, which is the main reason for a trash can liner in the first place, right?
Also, I wouldn’t heat plastic either. Don’t think it’s such a great idea. Who knows what you’re releasing by heating it?
For more ideas about ways to reduce plastic waste and plastic consumption, please visit http://www.fakeplasticfish.com.
posted on December 14th, 2007 at 1:37 amGreat idea to reuse plastic bags.
Here in Belgium, grocery stores and supermarkt and quite frankly any other store, hands out plastic of paper bags. We all have several reuseable bags or use baskets when we go shopping.
I wouldn’t say it is forbidden by law, but it has been morally forbidden by society. It is a great way to help our environment.
Belgium was also one of the first countries to oblige households to seperate their garbage. We have a bleu bag for cans, aluminium, plastic… A green barrel for green garbage, a special box (mileubox) for dangerous and toxic sprays and off course glass containers.
I am very proud of these measurements taken by our government. A sign that we are truelly concerned about the well-being of our world.
Kind regards
posted on December 17th, 2007 at 5:23 pmBieke
I am staying in South Africa. We used to get the bags for free and everybody just took these, but now since one has to pay for them, they get used fewer and fewer as people bring their own bags. The shops offer their branded cloth bags for sale. I come from Germany (1961) and there I used to go shopping with real shopping bags which I did in South Africa as well and was always stared at. But now its no more unusual.
I think the countries should all make laws regarding plastic bags and other waste. Have separate bins like they do in Germany.
We have here in South Africa two of the very latest glass recycling plants, where no labels, tops, korks, aluminium etc has to be taken off, it get all done by the plant. This is very new and only available in 3 provinces. Now I am trying to get this also done in Mpumalanga where I stay. There will be so called glass banks installed at different places where people can put the glass in or it can be collected and sold to these glass banks. I am busy trying to get the unemeployed to collect glass and sell it.
posted on December 20th, 2007 at 1:37 pmResponding to Lara, my small town has a pay-per-throw program so trash bags MUST be purchased from my town. I’m sure others are in similar situations.
posted on December 21st, 2007 at 3:10 pmI have been using cloth bags at the supermarket for at least 15 years. Even so, we still seem to end up with more plastic bags than needed for pet cleanup and trash can liners. So it’s an ongoing effort to eliminate plastic bags. I’ve made some of my cloth bags, and found that castoff neckties make sturdy and stylish bag handles. I’ve used cloth from worn out kids pants and mens suits, combined with leftover quilt blocks, and I get lots of compliments on my cloth bags. I’ve gotten other bags at Goodwill, for about 50 cents each.
posted on December 22nd, 2007 at 5:01 pmAlthough we’ve used cloth bags for years, we still end up a few in the house. Friends bring them over and such. One fun way to reuse the bags is to make them into parachutes. Just tie 4 little strings on to the edges of the handles and tie together in the middle. One of our resident Lego guys usually volunteers to take a ride. Just throw from the top bunk or stand on a chair. My kids have loads of fun doing this.
I also make my own bags. For the holidays, everyone got their presents in one. All were thrilled with getting a reusable bag instead of more wrapping paper or gift bag.
posted on December 30th, 2007 at 8:12 pmSeems no matter how well equiped we are with clothe bags, those plastic critters creep into our lives. Thanks for an alternative recycling option that saves them from being transported to a far-away recycling facility to be melted down for reuse.
posted on January 3rd, 2008 at 1:04 pmI love the idea of laminating several plastic bags together to make a stronger fabric that can be sewn. I would appreciate having a little more conclusive information regarding the toxicity of melting the bags together. Is a well ventilated space enough?
I live in Mexico half of the year. Coincidentally, I had just been talking about recycling to our manager this AM. No dice here. BUT, I’m definitely going to have to see what happens to the plastic bags we recycle in New York. I naively thought they were used in making other articles. Alot of them are, I know. But I want to make certain that our stores are. When re-used by somehow melting them up, they can be made into some very hard plastic items.
posted on January 7th, 2008 at 6:53 pmRecycle, Reduce, Reuse… I am all about consume less & save more. The fusing of plastic looks wonderful, & I have a pattern for a reusable bag that will work beautifully for my purposes. For that, thank you. However, one quick critisism: why are you wasting a perfectly usable backpack simply for the buckles? That, in itself, is creating more waste in our landfills. A little something to chew on as well as praise for the plastic idea….. TY.
posted on January 15th, 2008 at 8:28 amYou can also use the plastic bags as “yarn” to crochet!
posted on April 24th, 2008 at 11:15 am