This is pretty straight-forward to me. There is no need for these bags. Do not get them at the grocery store, the drug store, Wal-Mart, Target, anywhere. We do not need them. Period. They become garbage that never ever ever goes away.
Ah - wait - garbage. This seems to be the biggest argument I hit when discussing plastic bags. "I need them to line my garbage can. I'm re-using them, what's the big deal? Isn't that the point? Re-using? I'm not just throwing them away."Well, let's stop to think about this. Why do you need to line your garbage can at all? Why are your protecting and bundling your garbage? Are you trying to make garbage a neat, tidy, compact little thing? How can garbage ever break down if it's all tied neatly in plastic bags? Don't we want garbage to break down? Are we saving it for posterity's sake, so aliens who visit our (dead) planet in the future can see what we threw away?
"Garbage is messy, the garbage can will get messy and gross if I don't line it." Here's some news for you: You can actually clean out a garbage can. Yes, it's true. We stopped using bags to line the can some time last year. Two years ago? I'm thinking you have to be a serious prima donna if you can't deal with your own garbage. Really. I mean that. Otherwise, think of it this way: some of your garbage IS messy, yes, we all get that. But, aren't there other things you get that come in plastic bags anyway? Bread, cat food, dog food, potatoes, those kind of things... are you just contributing those to your garbage? Why not save THOSE smaller bags, and put messy things in those but keep the can unlined? It's easy. Because not ALL your garbage is messy, right? Just some of the stuff. If you want to say, "Doesn't having to wash the can waste water?" then I say, no, not if you aren't going crazy with the washing. You don't have to. There's no need for bleach and Lysol. (Why do you think your garabge is that bad? What the heck are you throwing away? Medical waste?) And when you think of the water that goes into the manufacturing of the bags in the first place... well there ya go.
Let's come to terms with our garbage, shall we? What happens to things when you throw them in the can that makes them untouchable in mere seconds? Why are we so dainty? Why can't we own up to our own garbage anymore?
At least, at the VERY LEAST, if you still just HAVE to line the can... do NOT take the whole bag out if there is no "mess". At least try to re-re-use it when you can. At least, that. It's kind of funny, really. We're becoming such a society of feeling entitled to get something for free, that we wouldn't couldn't dare think of actually BUYING other bags for garbage can liners (remember buying bags?) or the biodegradable bags for dog poop etc... no, we have to have our bags free and clear from the grocery store. In fact, double-bag it, please. I need more bags. It is owed to me. (That's something that stymies me too - bag manufacturers making bags so thin we have to double-bag everything. Why does THAT make sense???)
Just... stop. Stop selling out the future just because we've forgotten how to handle anything that might be remotely messy. Stop.
Personally I compost pretty much all of the messy stuff, which means that most of my garbage is nice and dry. If composting isn't your thing, you can try my grandmother's technique. She used to have a container in the freezer where she'd put all of the nasty stuff. Then she'd pull it out and dump it in the garbage right before she took it out.
ReplyDeleteWe've forgotten so mcuh of the good stuff our grandparents used to do. And yes, I wanted to mention composting, but I was trying to not confuse the issue too much, so thanks for bringing it up. That WOULD take away lots of mess.
ReplyDeleteMy grandpa would have 3 tubs in front of the sink, one for little recycle things, one for compostable things, and one for food waste like eggshells what wouldn't break down. He had a huge back yard composting area (that he used for his garden in the spring.) That man recycled more than any other human being I have ever seen.
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, apartment dwelling in LA limits some great things like composting. I don't have the space inside or the outdoor area needed for composting.
The sad thing about my grandpa's efforts... the man never threw away a piece of styrofoam. He was a chemical engineer and I think he was hoping for technology to catch up and figure how to recycle it properly. After he passed away we found a basement room FILLED with styrofoam trays from years of buying grocery store meat. All clean, washed, and bagged in bulk. They sadly went to the dump. Sad, but what were we supposed to do with them!
Mollye I am totally laughing out loud about your grandfather and the styrofoam because I see a bit of myself in it. I've been working on a decluttering project and I have discovered that I have TONS of styrofoam stashed away in bags and boxes all over the basement and garage. I just feel so guilty throwing the toxic stuff away.
ReplyDeleteMy new plan is to really try to limit the stuff coming into my house in the first place. But sometimes it's just unavoidable... sigh.
Oh, thank you for seeing these things! I love reading your posts. thank you
ReplyDeleteI use a cloth liner in my trashcan just so I can easily pull it out and dump the trash into the larger bin once a week, then wash the liner and go again. Love it. The only prob is that people don't notice and when they come over with their disposable coffees/sodas, they throw them in there without dumping out the liquid first, which drives me NUTS! Makes a huge mess for me. But I'm going to put a little sign on the can that says: Dry trash only.
ReplyDeleteProblem solved!
Mollye - hysterical, yet painful. EcoCat - I hear ya. Michele - THANK YOU!!! FIve - goooood idea!!!
ReplyDeleteI want to kiss this post on the mouth. I also just realized that I have a leftover wet bag from my girlie's cloth diaper days that would do a good job to keep the messes at bay. Yay!
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