say no to plastic bags!

[babyonboard]

title says it all really..
I am totally sick of overpackaging, and the use of bags when not neccesary..
I sometimes see people asking for a bag to put their newspaper/ box of fags/bottle of milk/ lottery ticket in in our local shop!? why!

Treat yourself to an \link{http://www.sasaslings.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=19&products_id=22\onya bag} or two.

Ooh, how big are they Oxy?

About the same size as your average carrier, I think, but really tough and can be converted ito a shoulder bag too.

Will find the original page ....

... \link{http://www.onyabags.co.uk/index.htm\here}

hth.

In Sweden you get paper carriers, even from the Spar shops (yes, they do have them!). I love string bags - you can fit so much in them and they're super strong!
Unfortunately, carrier bags have become an advertising tool - nothing to say that they can't be eco-friendly too though. Ridiculously, the local hospice shop now has to refuse donations of carrier bags to be re-used - the management decided it would be better to get their own printed and hang the environment/expense!

I totally agree about totally ridiculous plastic bag use in this country. I have started using the 'bags for life' from tescos and sainsburys, but want to switch to hessian or hemp shopping bags - does anyone know where you can buy them?

Although just looked at the link for the onya bags and they are cute too.

How blooming annoying is it in the supermarket when the cashier asks "would you like any help packing?" (fishing tons of plaggy bags out from under the checkout) and you go "no thanks and I have brought my own bags" and then if you dont pack as fast as they can scan (ie like lightening) they just start packing your shopping into said plaggy bags anyway "to just help you out there". Aaaargh!

You're better women than me. In principle I support you, but in practice I genuinely find that I've got too much to worry about....and avoiding plastic carriers and remembering to take a bag for life with me is just another burden.

HF, dat you?

I bought several canvas bags when we were living in Chicago as the supermakets charged if you used plastic (not if you used paper but they didn't have handles so no good with the pushchair). I still used them here. Once I have unpacked them they go straight into the basket under the pushchair and as I always have ds and hence the pushchair with me I never forget them. Not sure what I will do once I no longer need a pushchair though.

I hate plastic bags - the whole thought of them going into landfill for god knows how many years really makes me mad. Somerfield carrier bags are bio-degradable. I also track down 'tuffy' bin liners which are bio-degradable. Most supermarkets discontinue them after a while as they obviously arn't popular, why? they are no more expensive then a usual bin liner. - I think there should be a ban on the manufacture of supermarket plastic bags and normal bin bags now that the bio-degradable bag has been discovered.

I take my own bags to sainsburys and any stray carrier bags I've accumulated in the week I pop into the bag recycling bin there.

Local co-op shop have bio-degradble carriers that biodegrade within 18 months of manufacture...

I have just set up a small retail business. I have researched bags as I to hate platic bags, but I have found any others are to expensive to purchase to give customers with their shopping in and would cut quite deeply into my small profits.
If anyone knows where I can purchase bio degradable bags or paper bags in bulk at a reasonable cost I would be more than happy to change.

IKEA use brown paper bags, I think, hasbean? (Haven't been for a while!) They will get them from Sweden though I guess - supermarkets use paper bags there so they'll be produced in bulk.

\link{http://www.shoppingbagsdirect.com/fe/index.asp#\Shopping Bags Direct} - any use?

bump to remind folk to take a reusable bag with them