Taking Glendale Public Works’ advice to “dispose of disposables,” I resolved back in April of this year to take reusable tote bags on errands and use recycled plastic bags for kitchen trash.
One grocery store gives buyer credits for bringing in reusable bags, while another enters those who bring reusable bags in a weekly drawing for a $25 gift certificate. I haven’t won a gift certificate yet. It takes no more time to load or unload groceries from reusable bags, and just as much time to fold them up and put them by the door as it used to take collapsing all those lightweight plastic bags and stuffing them away.
Reusable bags are great for errands to other stores as well. Kids toys, clothes, small electronics, and miscellaneous household goods are actually easier to carry in sturdy canvas tote bags than in thin plastic bags with inadequate handles.
As to recycled plastic bags, the six-month outlay has been $11 for two boxes (and I’ve only found them for sale at Whole Foods). The bags, 30 to a box, are much larger than typical grocery bags, so they’ll hold 3-4 days worth of kitchen waste. A year’s worth of recycled bags will therefore cost about $22-$33. I could make up some of that expense by redeeming plastic bottles and aluminum cans at the Glendale Recycling Center.
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