paper & plastic vs. reusable

I started off this morning searching for the answer to a question someone asked me recently that stumped me: “How many times do you have to use a reusable bag at the grocery store to cancel out the energy used to make the bag?” I had no clue and vowed to look it up.

There is no simple answer, I’m finding. One reason is that reusable bags can be made out of a variety of materials, and some are more natural than others. Take for instance the popular non-woven polypropylene (NWPP) bags which are recyclable only in some places, yet not biodegradable which means they can take “hundreds of years to break down in a landfill.” It also turns out reusable bags may contain lead and there’s been some studies that they may contain bacteria.

Some of this doesn’t surprise me. We live in a culture where news seems to highlight the scary end of things,  and most everything seems to be bad for you. If you’re worried about the issues mentioned above, avoid taking the chintzier reusable bags that companies pass out for free and invest in the more natural type, wash your bags occasionally, or (and you should be doing this any ways due to pesticides) wash your produce well. You can also support women in other countries who hand weave baskets by purchasing a fair trade basket to use at farmer’s markets and the store.

Overall, I’m not going to stop using any of the bags I have. There are still many great reason to use reusable bags, and according to #24 on this list your reusable bag lasts about 700 times longer than a plastic bag. Paper bags take more energy to produce (a lot more, apparently) and are heavier than plastic bags so they burn more resources to transport. Plastic bags are cheap but are subject to photodegradation, meaning when they finally start to break down they seep into soil and waterways, contaminating required resources for life in animals and humans. And when they get mixed in with recycling they clog the machines. In some areas you can recycle reusable bags– just check with your city (for PDX) first.

My favorite carrying satchel still remains my trusty backpack, which is the easiest way to transport groceries while biking.

a plethora of produce bags?

In the past few years it seems reusable shopping bags have hogged the spotlight in the world of plastic grocery satchels. The idea was simple: instead of single use plastic bags, why not bring a bag you can use over and over to the supermarket therefore reducing the amount of plastic that needs to be manufactured. For years it’s bugged me that plastic produce bags have gotten the shaft, so my roommate and I brainstormed some uses for the clean bags you have after a trip to the grocery store.  Here are our top ideas:

1. Dog poop bags- My dog owner friends swear by these bags that they can put over their hand, pick up doggie doo, flip the bag inside out, tie, and toss in the can.
2. Lunch sack- Have a bunch of snack items to take to work? These bags work great for smaller items.
3. Wrap toiletries while traveling- When I fly I always want to wrap my shampoo and liquid items up in case they break while in flight or getting thrown around airports. Bonus: you ‘ll have bags  with you in case you need one while on vacation, which always seem to come in handy.
4. Trash bags while hiking- When enjoying the outdoors, always carry in, carry out! That includes toilet paper, which produce bags are my go-to when I carry it out in my pack. They also work great for carrying snacks in and trash out.
5. Protection while shipping- Wrap as many bags as needed to protect delicate items or throw extras in the box as padding when sending things.
6. Sorting Art Supplies- I like to color sort my supplies, such as glass, beads, etc. Produce bags work great for sorting, or for wrapping up supplies that tend to get really messy.
7.  Keeping your feet dry- I used to wrap my soccer socks in Ziplocks before putting my cleats on. Turns out produce bags fit adult-sized feet SO much better. Also great for hiking in the rain, or simply wrapping around your ankles if you have waterproof shoes and want to keep drips out.
8. Collecting scraps while cooking- Dealing with something in the kitchen that gets messy like shells or raw meat? Keep a produce bag by you for these scraps, a pre-trash can if you will.
9. Covering your cast or wrap while showering- I had a wound on my hand wrapped and couldn’t get it wet and found that produce bags work awesome to slip over your arm and secure with a rubber band.
10. Vomit bags- My roommate made me put this one, but she has a point: it’s probably best to be prepared and have a few spare ones in your car.
11. Gloves for quick projects involving chemicals/messes- Have to touch something gross or still using those harsh cleaners around your house? Slip one over your hand for a little protection.
12. Reuse at the grocery store- Need a strategy to remember them? Keep some in your reusable shopping bags.

What are some of your ideas?

join the club

In a couple recent conversations, I was talking with some people who mentioned that they only put their trash out once every month or so. I agreed, and told them how it breaks my heart when I see overflowing trash cans (remember the story of my old neighbors?). One of the guys I was speaking to mentioned we should start a club, or something, for those of us who infrequently put the ugly brown container out on trash day.

Funny enough, I just read page 24 in the Portland Monthly. A short article highlights Allen Field, a man who has only put his garbage out once a month for the past ten years, totally fit to join the club. The city hooked him up with a grant to help him plan a neighborhood program to help others join the once-a-month garbage club, including families with children and babies. The program gives households $50 worth of supplies to start composting.

What an awesome idea– and it looks like he could use some help in other neighborhoods (actually, the pilot program was ran in my neighborhood…)! Maybe something like a club could work in Portland where sustainably-minded people are often showing off their green-ness. After all, having tons of trash makes you look trashy…

day 2

More fails.

A main component of my current position is mailing things. Actually, we are mailing letters/materials to people congratulating them for saving energy and rewarding them with a check as well. Ironically, in the process of  running our program, I think we use about as much energy as they saved. Plus we create trash.

I was in the copy room and had to put labels on the bigger envelopes which can’t fit through the postage machine. I had to peel off the back of the labels. This would normally go in the trash, so I put it in my pocket. Also, on the way back I washed my hands in the bathroom and dried them with a paper towel. I totally didn’t think about it until the moment I was putting it in the trash.

Sigh. It’s hard to create no garbage- you really have to plan ahead, starting from when you are at the store deciding what to buy. Also, you don’t usually think about the trash you’re creating until the materials are already in the garbage, or out on the curb on Tuesday morning (our garbage day) for you to stare at. Creating trash is such a habit, and habits are really hard for adults to break. Uh oh.

day 1

[EDIT: A long time ago I started collecting my Stash tea bag individual packages, in hopes that I would use the brightly colored squares to create some sort of mossaic or pattern art piece. The project failed when my trusty Elmer's Glue wouldn't work with the packaging material. I am going to save my pouch and try again to decoupage a flower pot (or something) with my pouches.]

Well, this is embarrassing. I’ve already cheated.

After biking in this morning, and finding out my bagel was moldy, I was in need of some tea. As part of my plan to drink tea twice a day, I usually have a packet of the free Stash tea (local!) that the company provides. I waltzed in the kitchen, selected a packet, tore the packaging and CRAP! This is going to produce garbage.

I had thought about this before– I knew I would want tea, so I decided to do loose leaf and Celestial tea at work this week (Celestial tea is not individually packaged). I forgot to bring that in today, and I had already ripped the package open, so it was going to get thrown out by someone…so I let it go. I also threw out the bag that the moldy bagel was in– it just seemed like the healthier alternative to reusing the bag.

So oh well, there goes a potential 100% trash-free week. However, I am still aiming for zero waste and will save anything I do need to throw out to see what went wrong in the end.

Stay tuned.