Why Switch To Reusable Grocery Bags?

You may have noticed that some grocery stores have stopped offering plastic grocery bags to their customers. This is in response to the call by the environmentalists for saving the planet earth. Bags made of plastic are thrown away after use resulting in littered landscape. They also are the one of the causes of the death of marine mammals when these animals mistake these floating plastics for food. Plastic bags are not biodegradable. In landfills, it can take them nearly 1,000 years to break down into smaller particles that are toxic and can contaminate both water and soil. Plastic bags have been outlawed in some places, so people need to bring their own bags.

Some consumers resort to paper bags, which are considered by many as a perfect alternative to plastic bags. However, paper grocery bags are not ideal to carry things that may leak. And paper also has some environmental problems. For example, if all consumers in the US alone used paper bags instead of plastic, the consumption of these paper bags would reach a billion bags easily. You can imagine how this number can add up to the number of trees being cut down just to supply the need of the consumers and the businesses.

A better option to carry your groceries is the use of reusable grocery bags. High quality bags will not harm the environment; they will not require millions of gallons of oil in production. You do not need to discard these bags after each use. Many retailers are encouraging the use of reusable bags and some of them reward people who use them. This results in more and more people switching to bags that can be used many times. They are very convenient, won't rip like paper and plastic, and can be available in a variety of materials, sizes and styles. When not in use, you can fold them or roll them small enough to fit your pocket easily.

Reusable bags can be wiped clean and they are washable, so you need not fear of cross contamination. After each use carrying food, the reusable bags should be laundered in the same manner that you launder the towel in your kitchen. You can avoid cross contamination if you use more than 1 reusable grocery bag and have them labeled accordingly, like meat, dairy, cleaning supplies, and produce. For carrying items that may leak, use double bags. Bags that you use for carrying food should not be used to carry other items such as baby diapers, or your gym clothes. And do not allow unwashed reusable bags to stay inside your car. Bacteria can easily multiply in heat.

When you buy reusable bags, some of the bags have labels and instructions on how to wash them; some do not. If your bag is a canvas bag, you can launder it in hot water. Use ordinary detergent. Canvas bags are safe to put in the dryer, or you can line dry them. Polypropylene bags can either be hand washed or put in the washer with a gentle cycle. Do not dry polypropylene bags in high heat they should be air- dried.