PledgeBank United States
I’ll do it, but only if you’ll help

Pledge “Give-a-Bag”

"I will give away one sustainable alternative grocery bag (cloth, canvas, or crochet) to a stranger but only if 10 other people will give one (just one!)sustainable alternative grocery bag to a person who is currently using paper or plastic bags at the store."

— Carolyn in Colorado (contact)

Deadline to sign up by: 3^rd June 2007
25 people signed up (15 over target)

More details
Great canvas totes can be found at most thrift stores at almost no cost. Pants, cut off just at the crotch and sewn across make good grocery bags, and sewing old sheets (or any other fabric you happen to have) is a way to make a grocery bag almost for free.

Comments on this pledge

• Carolyn, I made some bags and will give away one right away to fulfill the pledge, but I'm planning on making a bunch more to take to my CSA pickup this spring for them to distribute veggies in. I probably won't be able to make enough for everyone, but I should be able to crank out quite a few between now and then. There's a picture of my bags here: http://farm1.static.flickr.com/126/41168...
  Debbie C in Iowa, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Debbie, they're beautiful! How did you do the bottoms on your? Is it a separate piece?
  Carolyn in CO, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Thanks, Carolyn. The body of the bag is made from one piece of fabric, folded in half with the fold as the bottom and a seam up each side. Then I sew a seam across the corners of the bottom to make a gusset, which gives the bags a boxy shape at the bottom. Like in the bag described here: http://www.sleepingbaby.net/jan/Baby/clo.... In fact, this is basically how I made my bags. They're very easy to make.
  Debbie C in Iowa, 3 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Wow. This is a great idea, and I'm going to give a few bags away, but they won't be nearly as pretty as yours!
  Sarah, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Well, DH just presented me with a worn out pair of pants; guess they are going to become the latest bag to give away!
  
  Wonder if I'll get a third set of ten pledges before June 3...
  Carolyn in CO, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• we always ued a sring bag, or from Olduvaii gorge, the gatherers pouch.
  Lucy 5 to 4 million years ago.
  bill us 2 million years ago his mrs.
  rex t us cured skins for dried fruits berries an nuts, flint fire lighter,
  proto sporran 500 thousand years scotland (see time team) Women in charge then. Me Mum did it too.
  Store with Folded Bag. Lets do it!
  Jock Scott, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Gave away the pants bag (along with a print out on why paper or plastic is not a good choice)on Monday. I had set it/them on a free newspaper rack, but ran back to grab it and give it to the woman in line in front of me. I am astonished by how grateful the recipients of bags have been!
  Carolyn in CO, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• brilliant! this is exactly what we are doing..
  
  check out www.morsbags.com
  morsbags, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Debbie -- are you the woman who is doing Cart by Cart in Iowa City, Iowa?
  Kate, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!
• Kate -- No, I had never heard of it until just now. I have been seeing a few more bags near the checkouts at the grocery stores she lists on her site. Good for her!
  
  I gave all of mine out at our downtown farmer's market this summer. I should start making more for next year!
  Debbie Cowherd, 2 years ago. Abusive? Report it!