Eco Tip Tuesday: BYOB!

In an attempt to add a little more focus and structure to my blog (because I like to pretend I'm a real writer with lots of important things to say, kind of like a grown up version of playing office), I've decided to start posting a weekly eco tip. I can't promise that I'll have a tip every single week, but gosh darnit, I'm gonna try! So....

Hello! And welcome to Eco Tip Tuesday*! Today we'll be discussing reusable shopping bags. Most of you, like me, probably already have a supply of reusable grocery bags that you've been using for years. (If not, please get some! I don't think there's a single grocery store in the country that doesn't sell them, and they're usually only a couple bucks per bag.) So, I've got these bags and, like I said, I've been using them for years. And I'm really good about remembering to bring 'em too! Still, every time I go to the grocery store, I end up bringing home a whole mess of plastic bags because I buy a lot of produce and bulk items. I was starting to feel really bad about this (in case you haven't heard, plastic is causing big problems for this lovely planet we call home) and decided to look into other options.

A quick search for "reusable produce bags" on Amazon led me to a plethora of other options. I ended up settling on Bring It's Valencia Reusable Produce Bags, for a few reasons:

1. A set of ten large (12" x 14") bags cost $10.10. This seemed like a pretty good deal to me.
2. They are made from 60% polyethelyne terephthalate, a polyester-based material made primarily of reclaimed plastic bottles. So, by using them, I am not only reducing my plastic consumption, but also supporting the reuse of existing waste.
3. They are see-through, allowing the store clerk to ring up my veggies without having to remove them from the bag. This would not be possible had I purchased the (much more expensive) cotton canvas bags.

I used them for the first time the other day and, you guys, I totally love them! My apples, broccoli, celery and kale love them too.

They're super light-weight, roomy enough for everything I buy, and they've got handy little drawstrings to keep everything contained. They also seem to be pretty durable, although only time will tell that for sure. I have discovered a few negatives: 

1. Because they are mesh, if the produce you're buying is at all wet, any surface you set the bags on will be too.
2. These are not ideal for most bulk items. I suppose they could work for some things, such as nuts or dried fruit, which I would transfer to a glass canister at home anyway. But flour? Nutritional yeast? Quinoa? Mesh simply isn't gonna work with items like that. For now, I'm trying to reuse the plastic bags I've gotten in the past for such items, but I'd love to find something more durable. Thoughts?
3. They are also not ideal for storing produce in the refrigerator. Again, to solve this problem, I am currently reusing old plastic bags, but if anyone out there has any other ideas, I'm all ears.

Okay, so I guess that's it for our first edition of Eco Tip Tuesday! Come back next week when we'll be talking about...er, something eco related? Yeah, I should get on that. In the meantime, if you're going to the store, remember to BYOB! We wouldn't want this to happen to you...

*Eco Tip Tuesday General Disclaimer: I am not perfect. Nor do I claim to have all the answers. I'm simply a human being who happens to think this planet we call home is pretty special, worthy of our love and protection. As such, I've made it a personal mission to reduce my negative impact and increase my positive impact on the world. Eco Tip Tuesday is a space for me to share what I've learned. And I am WAY open to feedback. So if you've got something to say, let's talk!