Dispose of Reusable Grocery Bags

Hello Everyone,

Grocery stores have opted out of disposable bag usage and a variety of reusable grocery bags have hit the market. Reusable grocery bags are made from either hemp, polypropylene plastic, jute, canvass or cotton. There are separate methods to dispose each kind.

1. Donate your reusable bag to a charitable organization. During your next visit to a food bank or soup kitchen, drop off your nonperishable goods in a reusable bag. The organization can either keep the bag or pass it on to its patrons. Or, donate to grassroots organizations in your area, such as New York's Bags for the People, which gives away free reusable bags made from used clothing and fabric.

2. Take your reusable bag to a consignment store. As cities across the country move toward banning the traditional plastic grocery bag, entire communities of people are left with no choice but to purchase reusable bags and some people cannot afford them. Taking your bags to a Goodwill for a Habitat or Humanity Re-Store helps these people.

3. Pass your reusable bag along to a friend. The idea of the passing-along is similar to carpooling or sharing a newspaper. Even if you do not have time to research local organizations and businesses that accept used reusable bags, chances are you know someone who still bags his groceries in paper or nonreusable plastic.

4. Empty your reusable bag into a recycling bin. Choose this step if your bag is made of polypropylene plastic, because it takes thousands of years to break down and has many practical applications when recycled. Because recycling expends more energy than reuse, you should only recycle your plastic reusable bag if you cannot complete any of the above steps.

5. Toss your reusable jute bag into a waste basket. Consider this step as a last resort and only do it if you could not complete any of the previous steps. Note that only jute bags should be thrown in the garbage, because they are made from a biodegradable plant fiber.

Thanks and Regards
William Henry