Certainly, you could reuse just about any of the grocery bags that make it to your home still in one piece. But usually they do make it without breaking, because it’s common practice to put heavier loads into a double paper or plastic bag.

The amount of waste generated by grocery bags is avoidable by recycling them, either through a recycling center, or replacing your own packaging paper use, for example, with grocery bags. So at one time, I cut open paper grocery sacks to use the paper to package books I had sold on Amazon.com.

When I ceased my selling activity, I decided to change my habits in order to stop accumulating paper bags. (In retrospect, the paper is thicker than other packaging options, like recycled plastic envelopes, which would save slight amounts of shipping costs for me, as well as fuel savings for less weight shipped).

I have purchased a few reusable plastic grocery bags, shaped the same way as a typical paper bag, but they can be reused over and over, saving the stores from using paper or plastic bags for my use every time I go — I bring my own — saving the environment from having to endure the waste and recycling centers from having more to process (they have enough in newspapers).

I purchased one bag from Trader Joe’s and a couple more from Whole Foods. Trader Joe’s (or at least the one I go to) offers an entry into a raffle for some free groceries if you bring your own bag. Whole Foods deducts $0.10 off of your groceries for each bag used, which means that over time, you recoup your $1.00 or so cost of each bag, plus some.

The great part is saving yourself from having to find a space for those bags that cause so much clutter and that the landfills and recycling center don’t have to accept anymore bags on your behalf. Trees saved over time and plastic reusable bags make a market for recycled plastic. Cotton or hemp bags also are great options for bringing your groceries home and improving your envirohuman impact.

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