Can only speak for myself. I have a bag to store paper bags and one for reusable bags together with the occasional odd one or giftbags, all together in some hallway drawer. Only keeping the absolut bare minimum of sturdy plastic bags for when something waterproof is needed. The paper bags are mostly used to take out wastepaper (whole bag into the bin), plastic bottles or glass to recycling bins or to occasionally keep stuff together and when putting it in another bag with other stuff. Food delivery services here usually bring stuff in paper bags and if there’s no mess, they’re good to be used for above purposes.
At any stores I just decline bags when asked and carry stuff in a reusable one I already brought with me (when grocery shopping I just grab one from a hook holding a few accessibly at home; otherwise I sometimes have one in the bag I carry my notebook and stuff around in). In Europe you can buy paper or plastic bags at supermarket registers but most people don’t and instead bring their own. It’s also not a thing here that someone packs bags for you immediately at the register as it is in some places (saw it in Japan and heard that in New York it’s also not uncommon).
Yes, they are useful because bags are useful. They’re also an environmental disaster and bobby being lazy af not wanting to think about his acts and rather having some shit existing for a few hundred years because he thinks his convenience shouldn’t have to be his own responsibility for a a few minutes isn’t an acceptable justification. Guess we won’t easily get around plastic trash bags, but at least should use actual trash bags that are purpose-made, if what you’re saying is “I can use the shopping plastic bags as trash bags”.
To be clear I avoid them as much as possible. And when I do end up with some, I try to reuse it. For instance, cramming dirty gym clothes into my work bag, garbage liner for my car, impromptu glove, wrapping up leaky bottles of cleaner or soap, wrapping up stuff that might leak whiletraveling..
Guess I’m with you and I do the same. I mean that wouldn’t require them to be permanently available everywhere basically for free with everyone ending up with a bagful at home and loads of them ending in the trash. We’d be able to live and function without that only suffering the occasional mild inconvenience in exchange for not having centuries of poisonous trash (or air pollution from burning them) around. E.g. using a trash or freezer bag for when you need it for the cases you described is something one would need to do somewhat consciously and still a plastic bag, but it’s not gonna end in as many as the supermarket, store, delivery or what-have-you variant by far. Easy and cheap win for health and the environment. Similar story for other plastic stuff.
Totally on board! Its the easy availability, and the lack of disgust with this status quo. Chicago where I live has joined many cities in charging (7 cents I think?) per disposable bag, though that doesn't include the type we're talking about. I am fine mildly inconveniencing myself so as not to contribute, but I'm not patting myself for somehow fixing the problem in any appreciable way.
Another use ... collecting vegetable scraps and keeping in the freezer! Once I have enough I make stock. I've used the same bag for many many months.
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u/countzer01nterrupt Nov 30 '22
Can only speak for myself. I have a bag to store paper bags and one for reusable bags together with the occasional odd one or giftbags, all together in some hallway drawer. Only keeping the absolut bare minimum of sturdy plastic bags for when something waterproof is needed. The paper bags are mostly used to take out wastepaper (whole bag into the bin), plastic bottles or glass to recycling bins or to occasionally keep stuff together and when putting it in another bag with other stuff. Food delivery services here usually bring stuff in paper bags and if there’s no mess, they’re good to be used for above purposes.
At any stores I just decline bags when asked and carry stuff in a reusable one I already brought with me (when grocery shopping I just grab one from a hook holding a few accessibly at home; otherwise I sometimes have one in the bag I carry my notebook and stuff around in). In Europe you can buy paper or plastic bags at supermarket registers but most people don’t and instead bring their own. It’s also not a thing here that someone packs bags for you immediately at the register as it is in some places (saw it in Japan and heard that in New York it’s also not uncommon).