http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban Comments on 'stop using plastic carrier bags at the supermarket, and use reusable cloth bags instead' en-gb team@pledgebank.com 1901-01-01T00:00+00:00 2 hourly http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_1823 Hm. Does anyone have a good workable tactic to use with those shopkeeper types who don't let you get even two syllables into your 'no bag, please' plea? So far I try, but when your shopping's already deep in there before you've even opened your mouth I generally let it go as it's a bit late. I find fruit and veg places the worst culprits for this. http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_712 I've got canvas bags and string bags that I bought for just this purpose but I keep forgetting to put them in the car on grocery day! Now, I'll have to, eh? http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_671 You should make it one step better and take your cloth bags somewhere other than the supermarket. No plastic bags, you eat better food, more cheaply, and stop supermarkets screwing their suppliers ans siphoning local money off into shareholders coffers. http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_666 Jenny (and Danny); In that case, the 'pledge' is meaningless; you're simply *encouraging* others (not that there's anything wrong with that). I thought that the point of this site was "to help people get things done, especially things that require several people", but I'm not looking for fight. Incidentally, if you order on-line from Tesco, they collect your plastic bags and re-use them. http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_665 At the moment we re-use bags from supermarkets etc for the most part as refuse bags (for rubbish). If we only used cloth bags, we would never get the carrier bags and have to buy refuse bags. Why would that be better? http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_659 I never use plastic bags, on a recent trip to a developing country I met a guy who makes plastic bags for a few stores here, and according to him he uses counterfeit stamps which endorse that the bag is bio-degradable. Hence, do not believe what is written on the bags, they lie. http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_648 Hi Weasel Barder, Yes, I already do this, but (as Danny pointed out)isn't the whole point of this website to encourage other people to try and make a difference? http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_647 Its a good reason to use a rather nifty cloth bag I picked up at an ECTS trade show a few years back - it is quite unique and looks cool. Better than a naf blue carrier anyway! To The Weasel Barder - You could do it anyway, and she probably was, but it is all the more an effective thing if a few people get together and do it as a group. One can make a difference - thirty can make thirty times that! http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_643 To Jenny Marlowe, Treehugger; If you think this is such a good idea, why will you do it only if 30 other people do? Why not do it anyway? http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_618 Yes, reusing old carrier bags is better than continually getting new ones each time you go to the supermarket, but at some point the handles are going to break, or the bags will get holes in, and the bags will end up on landfill sites. One way around this (although it involves a bit of time investment), is to cut your existing bags into strips and crochet or knit them into one REALLY strong shopping bag. This should last you a lifetime! Instructions on how to make them are here: http://www.marloscrochetcorner.com/round%20plastic%20bag%20tote.html Or you could plait strips of carrier bags into rugs....http://www.homesteadweaver.com/plasticbagrugs.htm http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_545 I will also be re-using carrier bags that I already have, as well as cloth bags, is this ok? http://www.pledgebank.com/plasticbagban#comment_534 Except that for the most part I will be using carrier bags that I've already been given instead, for now. Or would that violate the terms of the pledge?