Top 30 Ways to Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags

Study after study tells us that plastic grocery bags are better for the environment. They take less energy to produce, transport, and recycle than paper grocery sacks. The problem is that the vast majority of them do not get recycled, as many areas do not accept plastic grocery bags for recycling. Additionally, the market for recycled plastic is thus far underdeveloped. This "urban tumbleweed" clogs the gutters, kills wildlife, makes the world less beautiful, and seems to reproduce under the kitchen sink. According to the Wall Street Journal, the U.S. runs through 100 billion plastic shopping bags every year. Though recycling should be the destination of most plastic bags, reusing the bags before you recycle them, and avoiding using plastic bags at all when possible, are the best ways to truly reduce the number of plastic grocery bags out there. Here are 30 ways to do just that.

For Pet Lovers:

1. Instead of buying special bags to clean up behind your dog, use used plastic grocery bags.

2. Use them to scoop the cat's litter box.

3. Donate bags to your local animal shelter.

4. Donate bags to your local dog park - there is usually a dispenser there for those who forgot to bring their own.

For the Crafty:

5. Cut the bags into loops and knot them together into plastic "yarn." This can be used to make braided rugs, weave baskets, and crochet bigger, stronger bags that will last. Some people even use plastic yarn to crochet sun hats. Knitting works too. It's washable, but air dry only.

6. Stuff Halloween dummies with plastic bags instead of straw, using straw just around the cuffs.

7. Protect your surfaces with plastic bags when doing messy crafts.

8. Fuse bags into plastic fabric to sew with. Instructions for this are popping up all over the internet.

Around the House:

9. Line paint trays with plastic bags before pouring the paint in, and cleanup becomes a breeze.

10. Make a draft blocker: Sew a tube of recycled fabric and stuff it with the plastic bags, then sew up the ends. Placed at the bottoms of drafty doors it will cut down on the heating bills, saving even more energy.

11. Use plastic bags as packing material instead of Styrofoam packing peanuts. It reuses bags and prevents the production of more Styrofoam.

12. Rather than using rope or plastic zip ties, loop together as many bags as needed to make plastic rope.

In the Kitchen:

13. Wrap homemade bread in a clean plastic grocery bag. It will stay fresher but still be able to breathe.

14. Use them to pack lunches.

15. Use a plastic bag as a cutting board when cutting up particularly messy items, like meat, or to collect vegetable shavings.

16. Use a clean bag as a non-stick surface for rolling out dough.

Out of the House:

17. Keep a small stash of bags in the truck of the car - they are great for all kinds of emergencies.

18. Use plastic grocery bags as camping trip garbage bags.

19. Pick up bags you see at the park or in the street and use them to collect any garbage and recyclable litter.

20. Keep a few in the diaper bag - these can be very handy when confronted with a very messy diaper, or when the mess has spread to baby's clothes, to protect the rest of the bag's contents.

21. Donate them to your child's daycare center.

22. When traveling, wrap a plastic bag around your toiletry bag to prevent any spills from spreading.

23. Tie a couple over your feet and keep your shoes clean when you have to walk through a muddy area.

24. Donate them to the local library - many use them for sending home big stacks of books with patrons who did not bring their own bag.

25. Donate them to your local thrift store.

Reduce the Number of Plastic Bags You Get:

26. Bring the plastic bags you already have to the store to reuse them.

27. Bring your own cloth or crocheted plastic bags to the store.

28. Go through the self-checkout so you can add more items to each bag than checkers normally do.

29. When buying just one or two items, just throw them in your purse or briefcase, or carry them to the car bag-less.

And Lastly:

30. Support companies that use recycled plastic, from handmade African crafts to designer chairs to composite decking.