Monday, May 12, 2008

Going Green At The Grocery? Claim Your Bag!



Carrying the "green" grocery bags is one recycling habit I think I can keep. I've got several in the car and have been relatively good about having them with me in and out of the stores - even Wal-Mart. I'm not extremely green, but I do get frustrated and worried with the number of plastic bags we collect and think about the landfills. However, I could just be frustrated and worried because the more bags we have really equals the more money I have spent!

Anyway, I always wonder when walking into the grocery with several bags and then going to the checkout that the checker and bagger know the bag is already mine and that I didn't just pick it up off the stand and begin using it without paying for it. I thought about embroidering my name on the bag, but then I would have to get it straight and find the perfect spot for it, and eventually the thing will rip and it would be a waste of time. So, designing a patch came to mind and ironing it on to the bag. Actually, the bags made from recycled materials don't like to be ironed. They are kind of slippery. I just sewed this one on the red Target bag. If the bag tears after multiple uses, I can just rip out the threads and put it on the next one. However, I'm pretty impressed with the sturdiness of those recycled "recycled" bags.


A patch with a name and petite design next to it would be sweet on one of those pretty fabric grocery bags we're all liking on the blogs and on etsy.

Want one? Go over to clubbmish and read all about it.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Our married kids and their cousins on my DH side of the family have been drawing names at Christmas for a few years now... I know, what has this to do with going Green? Well, the idea is, they have to make or find something that can be bought for less then a said amount. Our son/DIL, got one of our daughters bags from their local food store (a natural grocery store) and they just love them! They got about 4 or 5 of them and use them all the time. In the mean time, it's a store from out of state... so no one can say they picked them up w/out paying.
Cute idea... I guess you could put velcro on the back of your label too. That way you could just pull it off easily.
At our recycle center we take the extra bags we don't use for something else and throw them in, that way they get melted down to be used again as something else.
Did you know that if you buy Fleece material that it's made out of poly fibers and when you recycle 2 liter bottles they can use them to make more Fleece? Creative hmmmmm?

Samantha Caffee said...

I think that I will go to cloth bags soon. It does make me cringe a little to have so many bags at home. I guess I rationalize it by reusing them for poopie diapers. LOL!

Nan said...

I know you know I make purses out of those plastic bags from the store, but I also make my reusable shopping bags out of them too.. some crocheted, some using this fused plastic tutorial.

http://etsylabs.blogspot.com/2007/05/long-overdue-fusing-plastic-bag.html


then there is never any question if I brought in my own bags or not, since they won't be selling anything that looks like mine! I do make the plastic fabric outside so there is never an issue about the fumes, or the risk is lower anyway, I never smell anything, but that doesn't mean they aren't there.

The idea of adding a patch to make it your is a great solution too! Thanks for sharing your idea.

Chris Worthy said...

Love it! I have several tote bags (the freebies from luncheons and such) that I use, as well as the hot/cold bags. I have my name on mine with a less than elegant Sharpie, which helped when the guy at Publix scanned mine last week. :) I really need to cross out that UPC I guess. :)