plastic bags: one alternative to ziplocs

i really take issue with plastic bags.

they have become such a normal part of our daily lives

that to live without them, or at least with fewer of them,

requires determination and dedication.

plastic bags fall into a few major categories:

1. shopping bags

2. produce bags

3. food storage bags

in this post,
i will rant a bit about

food storage bags

(i'll discuss produce bags & shopping bags in future posts)

my suggestion:

use fewer single-use plastic bags.
quit buying ziploc bags.

my use-what-you've-got alternative:

reuse the plastic bags

that come in every box of cereal

and every box of crackers.

these nondescript plastic bags
that don't even really have a name ("box liners"?)
are completely underutilized.
they are better than ziplocs for several reasons...

they have been used once already.
they are free.

they are sturdy.

they are easy to wash & reuse over and over.

and my favorite:

they are already in your pantry!!

here's whatcha do:

once you have an empty bag...  cut off the crimped top...

~ voila! ~

ready for packing a sandwich... or chips to go!

(i use a little piece of tape to hold it closed.)

use it to pack your lunch.
bring it home.
wash it / dry it / store it
use it again.
repeat.
(note: if my 10-year-old can do it, YOU can do it!)

now, if you have ever tried to do the right thing
and wash out a ziploc bag for reuse,
then you are familiar with the way that filmy plastic
tends to cling together when wet.
washing them out is easy enough,
but getting them dry is another matter.

there are contraptions and tricks (like chopsticks in a jar)

that can facilitate the drying process,

but it's difficult to keep the air flowing through them.

my alternative:
the stiffer plastic of these bags stands up & stays open
so they dry in a jiffy.☺

they store nicely, too.

more on plastic... 

some plastic is recyclable.

it can be recycled into new plastic,

but unlike paper or glass,

plastic has a "memory" -

each time it is heated and reformed,

it becomes more brittle.

i believe it is always best to reduce & reuse

before you recycle.

plastic, as you know, does not biodegrade.

instead, it breaks down into teeny-tiny little bits

that cling together out in the open ocean.

miles wide.

this is a phenomenon that has not gotten

nearly enough news coverage,

in my opinion.

basically, it is floating trash, which is bad enough.

but ocean animals eat the minute bits of plastic,
confusing it for zooplankton.

since it contains no nutrients, it can cause starvation.

since it is buoyant,

it can cause some animals to float to the surface.

in addition, toxic chemicals tend to cling to these plastic particles
making them even more dangerous if consumed.

be a part of the solution:
use fewer plastic bags.
  
please google plastic in the ocean for more information
♥