But I was still bothered, because even though I was no longer using plastic to haul my load home, I was still bringing home several plastic bags a week in the form of produce bags. Those things are sneaky, and made me feel guilty.
I slowly started phasing them out. I stopped putting things like onions and avocadoes in plastic, figuring that the outer layer always gets removed before prepping and eating them. Then I stopped putting fruit in produce bags, letting the apples and lemons roll around my cart footloose and fancy free.
A few weeks ago, I stopped putting lettuce and cilantro in plastic bags. And things got messy. If I'm paying for a head of lettuce, I don't want the leaves to start falling off on the checkout conveyor belt. Plus, I have a thing about other people touching my food. (I once told a cashier at HEB to do something about her hands after she sneezed on them and then grabbed my loaf of bread to scan. Eeeugh.)
But I've finally found a solution to keep other people's hands off my food (for the most part) and avoid using plastic bags. I made my own mesh produce bags.
I made a few larger ones for things like lettuce and lunch fruit, and some smaller bags for things like cilantro or shallots. It was pretty easy. I just got some mesh from JoAnn's in my favorite colors (NOT tulle mesh, but a heavier kind), and I sewed some quick straight lines around the top edging and sides.
I haven't tried washing them yet, but they should hold up under the gentle cycle. I'm not sure if the dryer will shrink them, so they'll probably just air dry.
And of course, if you like the idea of avoiding plastic produce bags but don't want to deal with sewing, you can purchase pre-made produce bags here.
What craft projects have you been working on lately? Have you taken any steps recently to reduce your share of trash?
This is brilliant! I have been taking canvas bags to the store with me for about 5 years now, and I have thought about the produce bags but didn't know what to do about it. I might have to buy some from that link! (I'm not a sewer)
ReplyDeleteGreat idea! I've been going the bagless route for avocados and onions too, but never made the jump to lettuce - this is a great idea! Hard to tell the weight of these, but have you checked whether they are heavier than a plastic produce bag?
ReplyDeleteFabulous! I stopped using the produce bags for everything but the leafy things (like you mentioned) ages ago, and just chalk the random piece of plastic up to the inevitable. I may make some of these, though, and give them a whirl.
ReplyDeleteGranted, most cashiers around here are absolutely befuddled by the notion that I want them to actually FILL the canvas bags, even when I a) tell the to and b) group like items on the conveyor belt to make it easier on them, instead of the 3 items or less in a plastic tissue that they're used to. Last trip I actually started bagging them myself (to be helpful, of course, there was no bagger at the lane).
This is amazing! You would fit right in with Southern California - we've been systematically eradicating all paper and plastic bags at stores, which makes going to the supermarket so much more environmentally friendly. :)
ReplyDeleteUGH YES, RIGHT? I put stuff on the conveyor belt how I want it bagged, and they always just let everything pile up at the end and then pack it however they want, and then are like, should we put what's left in plastic? And I'm like NO GET OUT OF MY WAY I CAN DO IT MYSELF MY FIRST JOB WAS BAGGING GROCERIES. Aaaaaaaah.
ReplyDelete(I do usually say it nicer than that, though.)
That's so awesome! It gives me a little more faith in humanity to hear about larger movements like that. I think Ausin implemented something similar recently, but since I don't live there I'm not totally sure.
ReplyDeleteI haven't weighed them or anything, but when I hold them in my hands, any weight difference seems kind of negligible? The mesh ones might be a tiny bit heavier, but I don't think it would really affect the price of veggies more than a cent or two.
ReplyDeleteI, too, hate amassing a collection of plastic inside my reusable grocery bags every time I go to the store. This is a revelation!
ReplyDeleteThis is a great idea! We definitely use fabric grocery bags, and since I use Ziploc bags for my boys' school lunches, I try to re-use them as much as possible. When we had a cat, I also used plastic bags for the dirty litter, though obviously, those do go into the trash.
ReplyDeleteYours look great! I I have a set of bags I made a long time ago that I keep inside my shopping bags for Farmer's Market and the grocery store! Always such a waste to use them for basically 5-10 minutes between store and home!
ReplyDeleteOh of course. I do use plastic on the kitty litter, and I'm okay with that. I would love to someday be totally zero-waste, but I realize that there are some things that are just not very likely to change. We each just have to do our best. :)
ReplyDeleteI love that you did this!!! and colored bags > boring old white mesh bags, for sure.
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