I was recently taken to task in a public forum for shopping at a normal grocery store– Acme– and not totally eliminating plastic from my life. Because, apparently, if I am not perfect in my quest for green living then it is unacceptable for me to give other people my opinion, even if they asked for it.
Now, I use very little plastic. I go for glass or paper first, and then if I have to, recyclable plastic. My initial rebuttal was that I don’t use any plastic habitually, but then I realized that’s not quite accurate: my bread comes in plastic, and I use those horrid plastic produce bags for little things like green beans. (Bigger items, like celery or onions, I just pile onto the conveyer belt loose and deal with the skunkeye I get from the cashier.)
I don’t know what I can do about the bread yet; I am not up to the challenge of baking a fresh loaf every other day. But I did do some research and I purchased the Flip & Tumble™ Reusable Produce Bags from reusablebags.com. (Not an affiliate link, I purchased these on my own.)
The bags are a fair size, not quite long enough for a stalk of celery (which I am OK with loose anyhow) but plenty big enough for a carton’s worth of farmer’s market strawberries, a pound of green beans, or half a dozen large apples. They are a sturdy mesh that have gone through the wash just fine (line dry) and all the strawberry stains came right out. They close securely with a drawstring, you can wash your produce right in the bag– eliminating the need to wash out a colander– AND, most importantly, the cashier can read the labels on your produce through the mesh. No skunkeye to report.
Also, I like the multi-colored tabs on the side. I don’t know that they serve any purpose but they were a good design idea.
I do wish they weren’t made in China. Just sayin’.
So that’s one less thing for me to feel guilty about, one step closer to a life less plastic.
How’s your path to green going these days?
Oh, these are cute! I do a lot of placing items on the conveyor without a bag too. I really like that you can wash stuff inside these though. And it looks like they'd be great for storing stuff from the CSA in, right? I always come home with a big box of produce and I never want to just put it in the fridge loose, you know?
I tend to put that stuff into bowls and then into the fridge… mostly because it looks pretty that way.
These don't work like those "green bags" that claim to keep your produce fresher longer in the fridge– now that would be a great hybrid product!– but would be better than putting in the fridge loose, I guess!
I like Ecobags. I originally bought mine through Delight.com, but now I go through Ecobags directly. I love that they even have a bread bag. Ecobags.com. GREAT selection. They wash beautifully. We use them constantly. They hold a TON. We use them for everything.
I am frequently complimented by the employees of my local Smith's for using them.
I've been using Ecobags for a few years and I really like them.
However, if you're interested in getting American made or locally made produce bags, you can find them on Etsy.com. Just search for cloth produce bags.
Good luck!
Now, you're probably the most eco-conscious person I know, so that's ridiculous to criticize you for being human and not perfect in terms of your green living. Honestly, some people seem to have nothing better to do.
That being said, I love these bags!
I make bread once a week – 4 loaves at a time, and freeze 3. It's not too much of a hassle, and it's SO yummy. 🙂
I bought some of these reusable produce bags. I'm trying to get better about plastic, and I'm looking forward to using these. Now, if I can just remember to bring them to the store!