WHAT are our alternatives to plastic?

HOW can we start to reduce our share of plastic use and waste?

Today I will be sharing some ways for us to skip the plastic
during our shopping trips to the grocery store and other retail outlets.

The biggest sources of single-use plastics at supermarkets are produce bags, grocery bags and retail packaging. To reduce your use of single-use plastic grocery and produce bags, you can find dozens of reusable
bags, totes, boxes, and crates. Depending on the type of material, reusable grocery and produce bags can be machine washed and hung to dry, or they can be hand washed or spray cleaned. Materials include the following:

Reusable plastics such as polypropylene, nylon, and post-consumer
resin (e.g., recycled PET). Sometimes these can be blended with natural fibers too, but this can affect their ability to be recycled again. Besides numerous bags and totes, you can also find collapsible crates, which are probably the toughest and most long-lasting of your reusable plastic choices.

Regular, organic or recycled cotton. This is the most common fiber in the world due to its many useful properties, including its renewable
and biodegradable nature. Because of the use of pesticides for regular cotton and the smaller yields with organic cotton, combined with the high need for water, some are looking for more eco-friendly alternatives to this material.

Hemp, jute, or linen (often mixed with cotton). These three fibers come from separate eco-friendly plants that do not require pesticides
and grow well with little water; they are also easily biodegradable, compostable, or recyclable. They can be on the higher end pricewise.

Cardboard boxes and paper bags. If you are looking for the cheapest alternative, you can reuse the larger cardboard boxes you already have at home or the free paper bags at the store. Paper, of course, is the least sturdy and least eco-friendly of the bunch. Cardboard and paper bags should be recycled or composted when they have lost their grocery-holding integrity.

I have taken the liberty of compiling a list of some of the best eco-friendly companies and their most affordable bag and tote brands to make your shopping easy:

Cresbicrate offers durable, collapsible, reusable, plastic
crates. >>>> SHOP HERE <<<<

NetZeroCompany* offers an excellent selection of kitchenware,
green cleaning and personal care products. They carry cotton and muslin produce bags and cool canvas totes. >>>>SHOP HERE<<<<

Ecotradecompany* is a one-stop shop for lots of earth-friendly products, including health and beauty, baby, and pet supplies. They offer
several different sets of cotton bulk bags and mesh produce bags, plus cotton box totes and jute bags. >>>>SHOP HERE <<<<

EarthHero* also offers a wide variety of products from beauty products to home goods to clothing all from brands that value and champion sustainability. Here you can find shopping and produce bags made with 100% recycled PET, as well as organic and recycled cotton options.
>>>>SHOP HERE>>>>

Planet E is all about environmentally friendly shopping solutions. Their reusable canvas totes and shopping bags and boxes made with recycled plastic are some of the most stylish. You can also find special insulated totes with zippered tops to keep groceries hot or cold.

>>>> SHOP HERE>>>>

Nondisposablelife provides another style of carrying items with their bento bags/wraps. You have a choice of linen fabric (made from the eco-friendly flax plant) or a hemp/cotton fabric mix. >>>>SHOP HERE<<<<

Africabags is a non-profit that helps people in Malawi, Africa by marketing their unique, hand-crafted bags and other hand-made goods and sending 100% of the proceeds back to their communities. To support their cause >>>>SHOP HERE<<<< 

You might like to read the following two blog posts that give more details on the advantages and disadvantages on some of the types of bags I
have mentioned. As you shop, you decide which factors matter most to you.

• https://totebagfactory.com/blogs/news/reusable-shopping-bag-types-ultimate-guide
• https://www.popsci.com/best-reusable-bag/

Finally, what should you do with that bunch of produce and
grocery bags you already have at home? These types of bags are made with #4 LDPE, the same material as plastic food wraps, frozen fruit and veggie bags, and other light plastics or films. They are not usually accepted with other types of recyclables because they can get caught in machinery and cause problems at the recycling plant. However, it is becoming more common to collect these types of plastics separately (provided they are clean and dry). Check with your local curbside pickup or search for retailers and supermarkets in your area that have drop-off bins.

We really hope this information will be useful as we begin to
phase out plastics from our lives. Thanks for reading!