Reusing Your Plastic Bags

Selecting and purchasing eco-friendly shopping bags is just the first step in reducing plastic bag waste. Chances are you already have a collection of old plastic bags hanging around that you’re not quite sure what to do with.

First of all, you can reuse them for their original intention: carrying groceries or purchased items from other stores. Bring a handful of plastic bags to the store with you so you don’t take any new ones home. Just make sure the bags are in good condition and don’t have any holes or tears in them.

Use them for trash. They are the perfect size to line small garbage cans in your home. You can also keep them in your car to use as trash bags. They’re especially helpful for long road trips where you may be drinking a lot of coffee or eating meals in your car. If you enjoy going for walks, take one along to collect trash. There is nothing less attractive than seeing floating trash along your route, by collecting bits of trash on your walk, you’ll not only help the environment but also your community.

Use them when caring for your pets. There’s no need to purchase rolls of waste disposal bags, just use an old plastic bag when cleaning up after your pet. They can be used as a cat pan liner under litter as well. A plastic bag is also a great pet toy! Ball one up tightly and tie it closed to make a light-weight toy that they can swat around for hours. Allow this inexpensive toy to entertain your cat, but make sure they do not shred or eat any plastic particles. You can also use plastic bags to mend damaged dog toys. Dogs love to remove every ounce of stuffing in their plush toys, use plastic bags to return their favorite toy to its like-new glory.

They come in handy when traveling. Use them to keep your dirty clothes separate from your clean clothes in your suitcase. It may sound silly but you can also use one as a makeshift shower cap when away from home. After spending a long day at the beach you can use one for wet bathing suits and towels for the trip home.

There are a lot of creative ways to reuse single-use plastic bags. They can be used in place of Styrofoam peanuts for packing and shipping. They can serve as drop cloths for projects around the house. Use them as stuffing for plush animals that have lost their shape. They can even be cut and made into party streamers. The term single-use is a gross exaggeration to a plastic bags functionality.

While plastic bags can be reused in a multitude of ways, it’s important to reduce your use of them. The next time you go to the grocery store, be sure you bring a custom reusable grocery bag and reduce the demand for plastic bags. If you’ve used a plastic bag and wish to recycle it, bring it to your local grocery store and they’ll take care of it for you. Learn more about eco-friendly shopping bags and plastic bag alternatives at our website today.