Produce Bags Are Perfect For…

Every once in a while I like to discuss the ways to extend the lifecycle of something that may be deemed as not as awesome for the planet so today’s topic is produce bags. These thin, usually transparent, plastic bags have not been as aggressively marketed for replacement as their two handled take-it-home counterparts, so most of us end up coming home with a handful of them every time we hit the store.

There are designers of canvas, nylon, even woven jungle vine sacks out there who specifically create these types of bags and although I really want to remember to buy some I have yet to do so. Even me, the Greenie, ends up sometimes home with plastic.

So what do I do?

First of all I try to reuse them as long as possible AT the store. After a couple of trips I will wash them out & dry them and stick them right back in the reusable shopping bags in my car. I will do this until they spring a small hole (usually after about 5-8 trips on average depending on the volume & item placed in the bag). That way they get a good long life and I figure I save about 30 - 48 bags in total (6 bags per trip on average).

When I think that they have outlived that part of their journey I then transfer them right into my trash cans. The bathroom, office and living room in our house make use of small trash cans for convenience sake. Produce bags are like a perfect fit for these cans to protect the bucket from make up remover, food wrappers or even gum from smearing the bottom.

Because this trash is never heavy it’s alright if there is a small hole in the bag when it goes into the can. And because they are clear they don’t mess with the attractiveness of the style of the buckets. I leave them in there and just dump the trash out into our large bag until there are too many pieces of gum or other sticky things attached to the sides; that is usually after about a month. I estimate this saves an average of 3 new bags per week.

All told by utilizing these produce bags over and over again I estimate my personal plastic bag savings as about 9 per week, an average savings of about 36 bags in a month. I would like to try to start purchasing reusable produce bags in the future but for now I am proud to do what I can to make the most with what I’ve currently got.

Also I am going to try to keep an eye out to see just what kind of produce bags my store uses as I discovered The Brenmar Company while researching this article. These folks offer pre-rolled produce bags to consumer stores that completely biodegrade in 3-5 years in a landfill because they make use of oxo-biodegradation.

For more information on oxo-biodegradation.

What creative uses have you found for produce bags?

When Extraneous Items are Parodied

As Greenies we all attempt to do our very best to use as few ‘one and done’ disposable products as possible right? Well recently I began seeing commercials for a new item that strikes me as convenient yet ultimately another in a long line of one use land fillers, the Colgate Wisp.

Wisp is a compact tooth freshener and toothpick in one, no water is required to brush teeth and it is so tiny it will fit in just about any purse or pocket (although with that sharp point I might suggest that the guys toss it into a wallet or other protective case), Colgate suggests it is good for brushing on the go.

The brushes are sold in a four pack and are suggested to retail for about $2.40, which to me seems awfully steep considering I can pick up a regular sized cheapy brush and travel sized toothpaste for about the same or less. The only difference is, to use a brush and paste, water is required.

Colgate recommends using each brush in the pack no more than once. Yikes! Since the entire piece (including the packaging, sans the cardboard insert) is created from PET plastic this product is going to hang around the landfill a whole lot longer than the fresh breath achieved through its use.

This is not a product I can even feel comfortable granting a Half Leaf Rating to because it is so clearly detrimental to the planet. I am so sorry Colgate but in times where the entire world is thinking in the manner of Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, this product simply misses the mark.

I came across a video while doing some research for the item and it made me chuckle for its outlandish parody of the Wisp. I will let you be the judge if I was incorrect in too quickly judging the limited use of this item.

The One Bag At A Time Reusable Shopping Bag

Using a reusable shopping bag is not exactly a new concept; people have been taking advantage of cloth or canvas bags for decades. Prior to the recent surge of renewed interest in these bags, we of course had the two choices coined in the ever recognizable question “paper or plastic”. So what suddenly became wrong with paper and plastic that has everyone scrambling to spend the approximate $.99 on each reusable bag? A lot.

A few months ago I made a fairly large purchase for a client in a local hardware store called Tags. The store was offering one free reusable bag for every $50 spent in the store. By the time all was said and done I had enough Tags imprinted bags to accommodate for the entire purchase and when I got them home I noticed a tag hanging from the strap indicating these bags were created by a company called 1 Bag At A Time.

I flipped the tag over to read the information the company wanted to share regarding paper and plastic bag usage and was blown away by the statistics provided; and I write about this stuff all the time!

Based on the tag, 1 Bag At A Time indicates:

“Making a paper bag emits 70% more global warming gas than making a plastic bag.

380 billion plastic bags or wraps are thrown away in America each year.

14 plastic bags contain enough petroleum to drive a car a mile.”

There were a couple more statistics but my brain already began spinning figures. If we divide the 380 billion bags by the 14 bags, Americans alone could be driving approximately 27,142,857,143 more miles without touching another single drop of petroleum. That’s one heck of a road trip huh?

I held off on completing this article for a few months because I truly wanted to see how these bags held up under the wear and tear of not only weekly grocery shopping but toting anything I intended to shop for or travel with. The answer? Phenomenal.

We are tough on our stuff, especially when it comes to something like a bag so it would need to hold up to be worth it (read: so this bag doesn’t just end up as disposable in a landfill somewhere instead). So here are my estimated stats:

“I shop for groceries weekly and formerly acquired an average of 15 plastic bags per trip.

I have used these reusable bags each week for 12 weeks.”

Have you done the math yet? No? Well let me help you out -- that is approximately 180 bags saved so far and roughly translates into being able to drive 13 miles, which pretty much completely negates my trips to and from the grocery store (and then some!).

Other good things about these bags are that the straps are long enough that I can sling them over my shoulder, the capacity is large enough that I can hold much more in far fewer bags, they have a removable bottom stiffener (these are made from plastic) to provide extra bottom support and they can be machine washed on cold so even if my stuff leaks I can salvage the bag.

These bags are available for purchase in hundreds of stores throughout 43 of the 50 states and Washington DC (not available in Alaska, Mississippi, Nevada, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota or Wyoming but they are looking for suggestions of where to provide them in these areas so if you are local please check out the website contact information and give them a suggestion or two!). There are 65 locations in California alone.

Or order bags directly from their website! The company offers a variety of bags for purchase online -- jute, standard, wine bottle bags, small size, “Clean Air” design, a sampler pack and cooler bags (insulated) not to mention bottom stiffener replacements. They provide for the average consumer looking for a few good bags as well as to the wholesale market like companies who with to order in bulk with a logo.

At just under $.99 per bag the cost could not be better and considering the overall benefit to the environment I feel the definite need to award the 1 Bag At A Time reusable shopping bag a Four and A Half Leaf Rating!

I will now consider ordering a whole slew of your bags when I plan to sell at craft fairs or otherwise and hope you continue to provide custom sizes and styles as one or more of these might just get stuffed in everyone’s stocking for the holidays this year!
♥love♥

The Word is Spreading!

More and more concerned citizens are standing up to do their part for a better planet especially in the areas of proper disposal of electronics, reduction in consumption of fossil fuels and increased consumption of organically grown produce.

Keeping e-waste out of landfills is critically important in order to prevent leeching of harmful chemicals (primarily mercury) into the soil and proximate waterways. In an encouraging news story it seems that the National Center for Electronics Recycling has indicated a rise in collection of e-waste by seven percent over the numbers submitted in 2007. Every little bit helps!

We have all heard the term hybrid vehicle and understand the definition to be “a vehicle which requires at least two sources of power to go”. In hybrid cars those sources are likely gas and electric or diesel and bio-fuel. In 2007 the number of hybrid cars sold increased by 38% over the prior year. As more manufacturers are looking for ways to bring revenues back, and more consumers are looking for ways to save money at the pump, the number of hybrid vehicles will surely increase even further.

As summer rolls around we begin to think of farmer’s markets and fresh, pesticide free produce but by eating organically grown produce the rest of the year we ensure chemical free farms are supported and possibly right in our own region of the country. Even big box stores not especially known for this type of product, such as Walmart, reported a growth in sales of organics over the past few years. Stores like this actually anticipate sales to hold steady or even increase in the next year. Don’t forget to take your reusable tote!

Although these efforts may appear more difficult to complete, or even costly, savvy environmentalists understand it is nothing more than a change in attitude. The more often the practice is put into place and the more people who do it, all those concerns quickly fade away. Spread the word about how easy it actually is to live a Greener lifestyle by sharing your stories about the little things you do!

Paper Water Bottles

Yes you read that title correctly! A few days ago one of my favorite foodie bloggers Karen sent me a link for Paper Water Bottles. I was completely intrigued as I had never heard of or seen anything like this before and I dove into researching this bold concept to see if it was even viable because my initial reaction (as I am sure many of yours) was ‘how can paper hold water?’. What I discovered is that the 306 Paper Water Bottle by Brand Image is an innovative and feasible product, but it is one I seriously question the need for.


Brand Image is a marketing company and as such wants to ensure their literal image is seen by as many people as possible. Since this concept is seemingly so impossible it will likely receive a lot of press which ensures a vast public viewing. The thing with consumers these days, especially those who are eco-conscious, is that they are savvy and no matter how “cool” the concept is, if it is not a solid contribution to the planet, they ain’t buyin’. The 360 has pros and cons.

When compared to a plastic water bottle the life span of the 360 is much shorter. The bottle is lined with a sugar based polyester (PLA film) which is fully biodegradable but will also break down quickly meaning each bottle will likely only get one go round. Some experts say a plastic water bottle should not be used more than once, however it is actually possible to do so without a breakdown of fibers. Also as a plastic bottle has a screw on cap, the 360 has a snap off top which is said to reseal but if the paper (or other natural fibers such as bamboo, etc) begins to break down, the cap will not secure tight enough for transport.

Both a plastic bottle and the 360 can be recycled which is definitely a pro but unlike a plastic bottle which is only partially (if even) created from recycled materials, the 360 is created from 100% renewable resources.

Where the 360 has plastic beat is in both its total design and reasoning behind its creation. It comes in six pack or larger and every bit of the packaging for transport is the same material as the bottle itself which ensures full recycling capability. The reasoning behind its creation is to ensure that the 86% of plastic bottles thrown into landfills each year is transformed into a biodegradable material instead. I must admire the innovation there.

Overall I am back and forth on this concept where on the one hand it would be great to find a use for all the paper we toss each year but on the other I question why we can’t just make use of a travel mug or aluminum bottle. Due to its innovative concept and environmental consciousness I am granting the 360 a Two Leaf Rating.

Thanks for thinking in the right direction Brand Image!

The Solution for Used Toner and Ink Cartridges

Quick -- raise your hand if you have used a Xerox copier, printer or fax machine? Now keep your hand up if you have ever been forced to throw away the empty ink or toner cartridge because you had no idea what else to do with it? Aha! Just as I suspected, many of us have. Well never again will I be doing this now that I have discovered the safe haven known as Cartridge World!

Yesterday I was helping my favorite Accountant reorganize her office and there was a stack of old, empty cartridges just hanging out in the corner. She told me she does not want to pitch them but did not know what else to do. I was convinced the town had a DPW station where they could be dropped so we did a quick Google search but came across Cartridge World instead.

Upon exploring their website we discovered that one of the company’s over 1600 international* locations was conveniently only about five minutes away. Their website said they took just about anything so even though some of her items were from printers that even the most seasoned Techie Geek has never heard of, we boxed them up and took a ride down there. She went in with a full box saying ‘wish me luck’ and came out empty handed with a smile. She said he even thanked her and it cost nothing to drop off! Score!

The stores are franchised locations (independently owned and operated) and in addition to recycling old empty cartridges they might just carry replacements for the toner cartridge that was just dropped off. Make sure to get a toner Recycling Collection Bin from your local store and start collecting not only yours but your friend’s and family’s, office’s or neighbor’s cartridges so everything can be recycled and kept out of landfills. Cartridge World is committed to a Greener Environment and they are proving it.

I have read every page of their website, and now have first hand experience with the convenience and eco-impact of this company, so although I have tried to find anything preventing it I have no choice but to grant Cartridge World the illustrious and well deserved Five Leaf Rating!

I am truly impressed by this amazing business model making a surge to employ local workers, encourage entrepreneurship and do their part to save this planet. Way to go, keep up the amazing work!

To find a location near you please visit their website or call 1-888-99-REFILL

* currently operating locations in the US and Canada.