Even though reusable bags have become more popular, the amount of plastic bags the world uses is alarming. Every year about 500 billion plastic bags are used and thrown away worldwide! We can all greatly decrease this number by simply using a reusable bag. These bags are sold in many stores and they are worth the money. Reusable bags are great for the environment and they are even sturdier than the plastic bags. My family recently started using reusable bags and it has greatly decreased the amount of plastic throw away. Even if you do get a plastic bag at the store, don't just throw it away after you take the groceries out, recycle or even reuse the bag for something else! For more benefits of reusable bags visit go to:
http://environment.about.com/od/recycli … lebags.htm

I agree with you Anika. I also think that we should start using reusable bags. My family does not use reusable bags because we are just so used to using plastic bags. You're right, there are several benefits about using rustable bags but there are also cons. They could get expensive if you're buying several groceries but the pros outweigh the cons because we are saving the Earth.

in my town, the grocery stores charge 10 cents for a plastic or paper bag.  You would be amazed how many people here were like Jake's parents, but started bringing their own bags once they start being charged!  And for those who pay the 10 cents, that money can go to support sustainable efforts like improving bicycle lanes.

Yeah reusable bags are good to have and use for the environment. My parents have some that they use when they shop sometimes, and also they are sometimes really cheap making them easy to get. The problem is some people don't like having to keep up with them. It's only a small issue but some people just don't like that when it's easier for them to just get plastic ones. I feel as if stores gave a discount or something to encourage people to bring reusable bags then it'll become a lot more popular and more used.

as I said, 436970, many cities are providing an incentive to bring re-usable bags by charging a small fee for use of disposable bags.  And this approach has been very effective.

Your idea of a discount for bringing in your own bag is a good one (and many health food stores/co-ops do just that), but I tend to think that more people will bring reusable bags to avoid a penalty than they would to get a discount.  I think it's a psychological issue.

I agree that the amount of plastic bags the world uses is alarming! Even though many eco-friendly companies encourage people to use reusable bags, we still waste a lot of plastic every year. This is unfortunate as our waste pollutes the environment and destroys the natural habitats of organisms. I agree that if more people use reusable bags, we will be able to help protect the environment! By using reusable bags we will also reduce our carbon footprints, as we are saving energy and reducing the amount of carbon emissions that are released when producing plastic bags in factories. And the great thing about using reusable bags is that they do not break as easily, and often can hold more materials than a plastic bag can! If everyone were to use reusable bags, we would save a lot of energy and reduce our carbon footprints- ultimately conserving energy and contributing to a cleaner environment!

Hey Anika! I completely understand the whole plastic bag situation. I currently work at a grocery store where we use plastic bags. We do offer paper bags, however most customers expect plastic. You'd be surprised how many people ask me for a bag for such a small, single item! Whenever I see bags left around or in the parking lot I pick them up, rip the handles (they can strangle animals), and place them in our recycling receptacle. I try to do the best I can at my store, and even sometimes spread awareness by speaking to my customers about the environment.

Hey Jason! wow u have to pay 10 cent a bag in my town the bags are free I'm glad we don't have to pay.

I agree. I think that we are throwing away too much plastic bags. My family reuses them but we go to the store so much that there is a lot of bags that we just throw away cause we already have so many. Not only should the customers of the store should help but also the people that work there. Like maybe they should like try to fill the bag up instead of like using a bag for every item and maybe some stuff shouldn't be bags, yes i know that it is easier to cary but maybe people should stop being so lazy.

There are a lot of grocery stores now offering that option because it is more environmentally friendly, they are a much better option than plastic for various reasons.  Being able to reuse them doesn't seem like much but it makes a huge difference.

I agree with everything you said for the most part. Reusable bags, at least for me, can be inconvenient, just in the way of remembering to grab them from the house. But using them is very environmentally friendly. Also what you said with the plastic bags is very true. You see them flying around parking lots a lot, we all need to be more carefully about disposing of them.

The amount of plastic bags used today is definitely alarming. My family uses the reusable bags to help lower the amount of plastic pollution in the environment. I keep them in the trunk of my car so I don't forget them at home. I also know in many places you have to pay to use plastic bags, we don't in my town, but having reusable bags would also be a great way to save money.

xavier: yes it's nice to have the convenience of getting a paper or plastic bag for "free" when you shop, but is it really "free"?  What about the cost that this has for the environment?  Paper bags take a lot of energy to produce (and of course come from trees) and produce pollution in the form of dioxin among other things.  Plastic bags almost never get recycled and too many of them end up in the ocean, contributing to the massive amount of plastic in our seas, killing marine animals.

So, I suggest that you shouldn't think of the bags you get as "free".  I suggest, instead, that you try to remember to bring bags with you wen you shop, whether it costs 10 cents for a bag or not.