Reusable Items: Go Green and Save Some Green

Go green and save some green, money that is, by making reusable items that you use everyday. If you really think about it, you might be surprised at how much plastic and paper products you go through in a month or even a year. Plastic bags are not biodegradable and many towns and cities across the U.S. still do not have a place to take plastics to get recycled. Each year about a billion polyethylene bags are thrown away by Americans and not even 1% of that is recycled. Some other interesting facts about plastic bags can be found on the WorldWatch website. So by making your own reusable products, you can save some money and help save the earth.

Reusable cloth sandwich bag or snack bags are great for the kids sack lunches or adults who like to brown bag it. You can make them to coordinate with a handmade reusable lunch bags. For those of us that drink coffee, you can hand make a coffee cup cozy.

Reusable food storage bags can really save you a lot of money but do some research on what foods store well in these reusable bags. Some foods have a longer shelf life if stored in an airtight bag.

Reusable grocery bags are becoming more and more popular. You can purchase canvas type bags at just about all the local stores such as Wal-Mart, CVS Drug Store and even video rental stores have reusable bags. Making your own reusable grocery or shopping bag can be a really fun to make and can be made by crafters of all types... those who crochet, knit or sew. The great part about making your own bags is that you can pick out your own materials and colors that go with your own style! They make great gifts as well!

Free reusable crocheted grocery bag pattern can be found on the artist Cassie Marie's blog called The Adventures of Cassie. A free reusable knitted grocery bag pattern can be found on the blog I Live On a Farm. And a really nice free pattern for a market bag and coupon holder can be found at Joann.com.

One of the most unique reusable items I have found is for women, which are reusable menstrual pads. However, reusable cloth diapers are more common. Back in the day before disposable diapers were created that was all there was. Now with the new wave of "Going Green", cloth diapers are making a big come back. Although you can buy reusable cloth diapers, you may want to consider making your own. There are a lot of great kid patterned fabrics that you can use to coordinate with different outfits. And they can be custom made to fit your child.