We work on cutting down on the number of plastic bags we bring home but use them for all kinds of things around the house. I think overall we need to reduce use of them but I'm against things like complete bans.

If they ban plastic bags, I'll have nothing to put the kitty litter in.

Yeah, I've been thinking about what's getting under my skin about that commercial, but I can't quite verbalize it.

I think the problem is that they are making poor africans used to having a consumer product that is relatively expensive for them and also incredibly bad for the environment. There are lots of alternatives that don't require so much plastic and cellulose.

It looks seriously cold at that game.

No doubt there are a dozen more canvas bags around here that I could toss in the car for groceries. We've picked up bunches at various trade shows. Need to dig some out.

I seriously thought my parents had turned into dirty hippies when I saw their reusable grocery bags. But no! Apparently that kind of thing is all the rage in other places.

There are even designer reusable grocery bags! (I generally use random canvas bags with logos on them that I got for free at various evens. But there's one that says "I am not a plastic bag" on it that was going for like $50 on eBay for a little while (though now it's back down to about $15, its retail price), and there was one at Christmas time that was a BarneysNY Exclusive. I tried to buy the Barneys one, at $75, as a Chanukah present for my sister, but they were sold out.)

We reuse as many of our plastic grocery bags as we can, but we still wind up throwing most of them out. I have several canvas tote bags that I use for groceries when I remember to carry them with me, and one really nifty nylon bag that folds up into a smaller bag sewn into the inside and a carabiner to clip it onto a purse strap or belt loop.

IIRC, Bloomberg did just recently sign an act requiring grocery stores to offer plastic bag recycling, so we should start seeing those giant bins like they have in the suburbs showing up soon.

I think the problem is that they are making poor africans used to having a consumer product that is relatively expensive for them and also incredibly bad for the environment. There are lots of alternatives that don't require so much plastic and cellulose.

Yeah, better for them just to stay home from school.

Sorry, I don't mean to be shirty, but there are so many utterly needless drain-on-the-environment products we use and export every day that it sets me off when people protest about the ones that actually meet a desperate need.

I collect my neighbors' newspaper bags for dog use and take the bulk of my grocery bags to the park for other dog people. And I love my Trader Joe's reusables but too often forget to take them with when I go out and then spontaneously decide to buy something. Thank dog for dogs, otherwise, I'd not have half my sense of efficiently using resources.

Signed, will probably have Envy, due to State Controlled Liquor Stores Here.

I feel your pain, Plei.

Signed, Pennsylvania Where You Can't Buy Beer And Wine in the Same Store.

The grocery stores have containers for returning the plastic bags and Styrofoam containers.

This is a long football game.

No shit. And that was a crappy posession.