Plastic Bags - Let's do something about them or with them!

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 17 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #106 in Green, #10,881 overall

A big problem...a small solution...

Ah...the plastic bag. While they are found everywhere these days, there was a time when they were more difficult to find. Today they're found in the streets, tree branches and streams - in every corner of this planet.

Are Plastic Grocery Bags Sacking the Environment? 

John Roach for National Geographic

The "paper or plastic" conundrum that vexed earnest shoppers throughout the 1980s and 90s is largely moot today. Most grocery store baggers don't bother to ask anymore. They drop the bananas in one plastic bag as they reach for another to hold the six-pack of soda. The pasta sauce and noodles will get one too, as will the dish soap.

Plastic bags are so cheap to produce, sturdy, plentiful, easy to carry and store that they have captured at least 80 percent of the grocery and convenience store market since they were introduced a quarter century ago, according to the Arlington, Virginia-based American Plastics Council.

As a result, the totes are everywhere. They sit balled up and stuffed into the one that hangs from the pantry door. They line bathroom trash bins. They carry clothes to the gym. They clutter landfills. They flap from trees. They float in the breeze. They clog roadside drains. They drift on the high seas. They fill sea turtle bellies. Read the entire article on National Geographic

Crochet with Recycled Plastic Bags is Awesome to Look at! 

People are Being SOOOO Creative...You CAN, too!

There is an immense richness of ideas and work made by people who are just plain creative or have dreams of saving the environment one piece of trash at a time. What a wonderful world we live in; that we can see all this beautiful (in all senses of the word) work being done...

Plastic-bag Yarn and Pull Tab Tote Picture 2 by Pop Top Lady

MY OWN. WITH PULL TABS!!!!!

crochet necklace - flowers! by flymissy

Necklace.

Recycled Shopping Bag by wovenflame

Made from recycled, plastic grocery bags.

Recycled Plastic Bag Tote by CrochetDad

Crochetdad's tote bag

Recycled bag mat by Woof Nanny

Just playing around...

Bag made from recycled plastic bags by lovedaylemon

Multicolor Bags...you don't need a lot of the same.

Bolsa Amarela by FazendoArte

Potato Chip Bags (BOPP)

Niqueleira Marron em BOPP e crochĂȘ by FazendoArte

Coffee Bags.

Bolsa BOPP Azul e Prata (Handbag potato chip packing) by FazendoArte

Potato Chip Bags (BOPP)!

recycled crochet flowerpot/basket by litchi7.

Flowerpots.

grocery bag shoes by mleak

OMG!!!! Shoes!.

Flowers by Arbel Egger

Recycled plastic bag flowers

Key rings by Arbel Egger

Key rings by Arbel Egger

plastic bag by szildi

Bag made out of 14 carrier bags

Crocheted Snowflakes by Marchena

Snowflake out of plarn

Tutorials...How To's...DIY 

Isn't that what you want? Go ahead...make one!

Recycled Crochet Bags Video Clips 

Some TV show clips and how-to's

Plastic Bag Crochet Project

Runtime: 2:57
40522 views
10 Comments:


Joining Plastic Bag Loops for Knitting or Crochet

Runtime: 0:34
26895 views
6 Comments:


Cutting Plastic Bags

Runtime: 1:34
45333 views
10 Comments:


Plastic Bag Crochet

Runtime: 3:16
7046 views
2 Comments:

What some countries are doing 

Germany - consumers use their own bag or pay a tax at the store for a plastic bag.

Brazil - Initiatives are local: the government of the state of Parana' imposed a deadline (11/18/2007) for grocery stores to come up with alternatives to circumvent the problems. Some stores adopted recycling programs, some are utilizing oxi-degradable plastic (degrades in 18 months) and some are selling reusable bags. The state of Sao Paulo launched an awareness campaign. The Federal government is pushing for garbage recycling, which already happens in numerous communities. Brazilians are very resourceful when it comes to recycling.

USA - Each year, the country uses one hundred billion plastic bags. In San Francisco (California), they were replaced by recycled paper bags. Some manufacturers are using corn and potato starch as a raw material. Reusable shopping bags are all the rage.

The grocery store I go to, Kroger, has a Bag-2-Bag program: You take the bags back to their recycle bin and they make them into new bags.

Bangladesh - Because they clog rainwater drainage networks, the plastic bag was banned. The measure includes the manufacture, marketing and use.

Ireland - The government has imposed a specific tax to inhibit use. The measure caused a 90% reduction in use. The money raised is for actions of environmental protection.

Taiwan - Stores are prohibited from offering free bags to the customer, patrons; they face fines.

South Africa - Government banned the use and drafted penalties of fine and imprisonment.

India - To prevent the ingestion of the bags, and death, by cows (sacred animal), some states banned their production, storage, use, sale and distribution. Penalties for infringement are imprisonment and a fine.

Australia- Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts is supporting Clean Up Australia, a national plastic bag awareness campaign Bag Yourself a Better Environment. Retailers and the community are being asked to reduce the use of plastic shopping bags, increase plastic bag recycling, and reduce the amount of plastic bag litter.

Think you have no use for those bags? 

Check these books out...

Paper or Plastic: 101 Ingenius Uses for Plastic Grocery Bags

Out of Print...Bummer! But it might show in the "used book" listings.

Amazon Price: (as of 07/13/2009) Buy Now

Another Use For . . .: 101 Common Household Items

Amazon Price: $8.95 (as of 07/13/2009) Buy Now

Don't Throw It Out: Recycle, Renew and Reuse to Make Things Last

Amazon Price: $12.21 (as of 07/13/2009) Buy Now

Extraordinary Uses for Ordinary Things: 2,317 Ways to Save Money and Time

Amazon Price: $10.85 (as of 07/13/2009) Buy Now

Do you know of something your community is doing? Do you like this lens? 

Let us all know...

Lensmaster

Shaun Muscolo wrote

hautetrash.org A non-profit volunteer group that puts on runway fashion shows where all the garments are made from trash materials. The knitted white plastic grocery bag wedding dress is my contribution.

Reply Posted May 07, 2009

totalhealth wrote...

perhaps plastics are one of the great discoveries for the convenience it gives up but sadly it is also one of the greatest pollutants of our our planet. we can't deny the usability of plastics but we should also be aware of its effects on our environmetnt that we should be responsible users.

ReplyPosted February 13, 2009

Lensmaster

evegpt wrote

This is the year and now is the time to learn more about crochet than making a square. Those shoes are awesome.

Reply Posted January 05, 2009

TheGreenerMe wrote...

People are really putting their old plastic bags to some good uses! It's great to see other countries taking the initiative as well. Great work!

ReplyPosted November 16, 2008

awelldressedbullet wrote...

Oh ya, some of my pet peeves are these plastic bags, the unnecessary and overpacking of food products and plastic bottled water. I faithfully use my cloth grocery bags and use those for other shopping as well, I don't buy bottled water and try to purchase veggies and fruit that is loose and not packaged. Excellent Lens! - Kathy

ReplyPosted November 09, 2008

 
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Other sites to visit 

Visit my etsy shop to see crochet item using recycled pull tabs (pop tops) from soda and beer cans for purchase.

Visit my other squidoo lens on Pull Tab Crochet with links to wonderful recycled wearable items and how-to's