Put a spare bag in all your bags, so you don't forget them in future.
Y'know Mouse...
I don't think we'll see people banning plastic bags in the UK anytime this year at least, but you raise a good point a point about just getting into the habit of carrying bags.
We all have the best of intentions, but it's really easy to end up leaving your nice eco-friendly bag at home, and when you're out and about finding yourself having to:
a) sheepishly accept another plastic bag at the checkout
or
b) if you're feeling stubborn, buy yet another confounded jute bag.
Neither option works very well, so for the month of August, I'm gonna put a spare cloth bag inside all the bags I take out the house with me.
This way, if I don't have to remember to take them with me because they're already there, I can't forget them when I'm out.
This sounds like a ridiculously simplistic solution to silly problem, and I feel a bit embarrassed even suggesting it, but hopefully it should just about be idiot-proof enough to work for me at least.
Anyone else up for giving this a go?
Created by mrchrisadams on 5 August, 2009
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I always take bags with me when I'm doing my food shopping but I have been quite bad with other shops (clothes etc). In my defense, I don't do much other shopping anyway, but I hereby pledge that I will remember to take a bag every time I am intending to purchase something!
Created by Karolin78 on 7 August, 2009
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I think its a case of anything that helps until we all get into the habit of remembering everytime. I remember when I was little my mum and nan always took their shopping bag wherever they went. The string bag was a good one.
I always forget to take the bags out of the boot so I'm going to put a post-it on my dashboard to remind me.
Created by AliCoach on 15 August, 2009
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I have actually left my shopping with a store assistant to run to my car to get bags before. Silly but it worked
Created by VicBroJag on 15 August, 2009
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There is an extra bag in most of my rucksacks; my pledge is that I will add one to all my bags when I go out!
Created by AKS on 16 August, 2009
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I've gotten into the habit of putting my bags next to the front door, next to my laptop bag so they always go back in the car as soon as I do.
Now I'm doing the same with putting a couple in my bike rucksacks, so I have bags handy when I pop out for a quick shop.
So food shopping and small errands are covered, but I still forget them too often when out clothes shopping, etc. Think I'll buy a few more "cute" jute bags, maybe a string one too, so I don't feel silly stuffing my clothes or other purchases in the loudly branded grocery bags I use for my foodshop.
I rarely carry a purse/bag, I'll stuff an extra bag in most of my coats too!
Created by Syl on 16 August, 2009
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Agreed, it's been relatively easy developing new habits to ensure that I always have my big jute grocery bags handy, but have failed so far to be consistent for clothes and other shopping. I had the same problem recently whilst in the States for a couple of weeks, any suggestions for managing this issue (ie: not having to take fancy store plastic and/or paper bags) whilst travelling? I always travel very light, usually with just a cabin-sized wheelie bag.
Created by emjay1968 on 16 August, 2009
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I've been doing this for a while - I carry a huge handbag anyway, so its easy to tuck a folded fabric bag in with all the other clutter. We also have a car boot full of jute bags & bags for life and I have one in the basket of my pushchair, so in theory I am never without one.
Created by Kimberley_Lawson on 17 August, 2009
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I've also been doing this for ages. I also keep 3 or 4 fabric bags in my rucksack, which I take with me when I go to the supermarket (I make a virtue of necessity - as I don't drive, as rucksack is the easiest way to carry tinned & other heavy stuff home!).
Created by ladynicotine on 17 August, 2009
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I've started keeping a couple of "Bags for Life" under the buggy as I'm usually accompanied by it wherever I go, having 2 small children!
Created by sjpereira on 18 August, 2009
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The poster who started this thread needn't confess that his idea for cutting down on bag use is 'simplistic'. The best ideas are indeed simple. For instance, there's nothing complex about putting a fabric draught excluder under a door to reduce the need to turn the heater or radiator on. Similarly, using the free energy coming from the sun to power our lives makes more sense than relying on expensive, polluting fossil fuels. This could mean eating grass-fed cattle rather than feedlot animals, or having a solar hot water system installed in your home. The technology behind the latter is actually quite advanced - SolarUK's website at http://www.solaruk.com/ explains more - but the essence is basic: if the sun's rays heat an object, why not capture and use that heat?
Created by Jasper on 8 September, 2009
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I have two bags in my car that hold all my other larger bags for shopping but I find the best ones are the small compact bags that open out larger and can be clipped onto a handbag / belt etc. I have a number of these - the Onya bags are brilliant for this, so no matter what shop I go in, I never need a bag!
Created by Maddy on 15 September, 2009
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Awesome idea. I carry my rucksack everywhere but it's usually full, so I find myself cramming shopping into it and cursing the fact that I yet again forgot to bring a shopping bag. From now on I'll keep a cloth bag in it at all times (along with a spare tupperware!)
Thanks mr chris!
Created by roodini on 28 September, 2009
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I have a small fold-up bag that I keep in my purse. My friend says that her mom ALWAYS forgets her bags, even that kind, because she forgets to put them BACK in her purse. I always make a point of putting my bag back in my purse immediately after I use it, otherwise it will end up hanging out in my kitchen rather than with me at the checkout aisle :)
PS-buying/making/repurposing a small bag to fill with larger bags to keep in your car/bag/at the front door is a good way to save time rather than running around looking for your bags when you do go shopping, and it saves on space too.
Created by mokita on 13 October, 2009
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I'm good with this. Just got to ensure husband keeps a supply in the car for when we use his car for shopping trips.
Created by 1337 on 19 September, 2009
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