It’s very ironic. Since NYS is banning single-use plastic shopping bags, I have to start buying plastic garbage bags. Plastic grocery bags were the only bags I’ve used as garbage bags for decades. I’ve always re-used them efficiently this way.
But why are plastic garbage bags sold in stores still okay to use, and not plastic carry-out bags? Many of the plastic garbage bags are not biodegradable. I just don’t understand. The NYS web page as well as the press release state that “plastic bags can be seen stuck in trees, as litter in our neighborhoods, and floating in our waterways.” This means that people just throw plastic shopping bags on the streets. Yes, that happens in my neighborhood too. Some people just don’t have the commonsense to throw things in a garbage can. Why should people with commonsense be punished along with the others?
BYO Bags
The NYS web page also suggests that people carry their own shopping bags. I do. I’ve always carried a reusable eco bag ever since I made one in 2008. It’s a very durable black nylon bag in the shape of a plastic shopping bag. But I don’t dare put groceries such as a quart of milk, a jar of orange juice, or a dozen of eggs directly in my reusable eco bag. I need a plastic bag in between the grocery and my eco bag. Without a plastic shopping bag, now I will have to wash my eco bag every day. Do you think other people wash their reusable grocery eco bag after each use? I’m not sure if everyone can handle that hygiene issue.
5¢ Brown Paper Shopping Bags
NYS has also made a law to allow stores to offer paper bags for 5 cents. Perhaps, I will buy the 5 cent paper shopping bags from now on. And over time, I might get used to reusing the paper shopping bags. But the thing is, the stiff paper bags don’t easily fit inside my reusable eco bag. Forget about fitting it into my purse. That’s too bad. When I get one small thing such as a box of raspberries, a lemon, or a half-pint heavy cream, I still need a small plastic bag because I’d like to carry that inside my purse!
Another thing about the paper shopping bags is that they don’t last very long. They get holes and the handles come off easily. So, when that happens, I will use those paper bags as an alternative for the garbage bag. That’s the least you can do to take part in recycling. No matter what, I strive to avoid buying environmentally unfriendly plastic garbage bags.