Reducing One Time Use Plastic Bags

Reducing one time use plastic bags in the kitchen with mesh bags, reusable produce storage containers and terry cloth bags.

“After awhile, said Cyrus, you’ll think no thoughts the others do not think. You’ll know no word the others can’t say. And you’ll do things because others do them. You’ll feel the danger in any difference whatever—a danger to the whole crowd of like-thinking, like-acting men.”

East of Eden, John Steinbeck

Inspiration

The new year is synonymous with change, resolving to do better, be better. A marker of personal improvement. This year I’m making an attempt in reducing use of one time use plastic bags. It’s a simple resolution, yet requires a commitment to changing behaviors decades in the making. As far as the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is concerned my resolution doesn’t really matter. It’s only if more us begin to reject all the one time use plastics and cardboard we consume that true change will occur.

After reading this NPR article on the environmental effects from the mountain of plastic that we use I started to work on reducing one time use plastic bags in the kitchen. I shop once a week, bringing home enough fruits and vegetables for the week. For two adults it’s quite a haul. Lunch smoothies, dinner salads and veggies, fruit for snacks. All this produce either comes in its’ own plastic container or one of those thin, one time use plastic bags that the store or farmers market provides. I try to use these plastic bags more than once, then they go in trash. One time use plastic bags are no longer recyclable.

Reducing one time use plastic bags I experimented with three different options, mesh produce bags, Rubbermaid and OXO produce storage containers and terry cloth bags. Lettuce, celery and cilantro were included in the experiment. Nine containers with some of the most challenging vegetables to keep fresh filled my refrigerator for an entire week. Here’s what I learned and what habits I’ve changed. What changes have you made in reducing one time use plastic bags, please share!

Terry Cloth Bags, day one.

Plastic Storage Containers, day one.

Mesh Produce Bags, day one.

Essentials

Mesh Bags—Use only as an alternative to the one time use plastic bags that the grocery store provides. Once home, mesh bags do not keep produce fresh. PROS: No longer using grocery store one time use plastic bags. CONS: Once home, produce must be moved to another storage container. Mesh bags need to be laundered. Turn them inside out before washing to make sure all the produce reside is gone.

Mesh Produce Bags, after one week.

Rubbermaid and OXO produce storage containers— Both brands are amazing! (There are other brands too.) These containers really do work, keeping produce fresher, longer. PROS: Produce is kept fresh for an extended period.These containers can be stored anywhere in the refrigerator. CONS: Although not single use, these containers are plastic. They take up a huge amount of space in the refrigerator and are a one time expense.

Plastic Storage Containers, after one week.

Terry Cloth Bags–I was extremely skeptical about using terry cloth bags in the refrigerator, but they really work! PROS: Terry cloth bags work as well as the plastic storage containers and can be stored anywhere in the refrigerator. These bags are made of organic cotton not plastic. Terry cloth bags take up minimal space in the refrigerator. CONS: Terry Cloth bags must be kept damp to work effectively and need to be laundered. Turn them inside out before washing to make sure all the produce reside is gone. These terry cloth bags are a one time expense unless you make them yourself.

Terry Cloth Bags, after one week.

New habits–Making sure to take the mesh bags shopping is the first hurdle. Once laundered I put them inside my grocery tote bag, otherwise I will forget them. Even when I’m the only one with reusable produce bags at Whole Foods on a Saturday morning I tell myself I will not feel weird. I remind myself that I am committed to reducing one time use plastic bags. Once home it’s a few extra minutes to move the produce into a reusable storage container. To reduce the one time cost of switching to reusable containers I made a set of terry cloth bags. The bags are easy to make, just a pocket for veggies. The best part of this DIY project is making the bags in exactly the size you need, long and narrow for celery, shorter and narrow for carrots, squat and wide for lettuces. Our local fabric store carries 100% cotton terry cloth in a rainbow of colors—organic or French terry cloth is an on-line order. The zebras are extra. I’m endlessly captivated by their whimsy, in bold contrast to the black and white stripes.