Try as you might to use cloth bags, chances are you still end up with a small mountain of plastic shopping bags at home.
Don't just throw them away once you've unloaded the contents - use them again!
The easiest way to reuse a plastic shopping bag is as a small-trash can liner. For years I have used plastic shopping bags as the liner in my bedroom and bathroom trash cans. They are the right size for a smaller trash can, and they help you save money by not buying small trash bags. Why spend money on a plastic bag that will be used once, when you can use something you already have and didn't specifically pay for?
Another simple way to reuse plastic bags, especially plastic produce bags, is as a refuse bag while cooking. When I'm cooking and have waste from the ingredients, whether vegetable peelings or wrappers or non-recyclable packaging, I keep a bag out and throw all the waste into it. Whenever you're done with the bag, you can knot it and throw it into your trash can. If you aren't bringing the trash out immediately, this can help with the smell also.
So, put those plastic bags to work before you get rid of them for good!
And if you don't plan to reuse the plastic bags, make sure to bring them somewhere that accepts them for recycling. Many grocery stores have a bin near the entrance where you can deposit all your bags, similar to this one at my local Rouses!
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