Bags for Everyday Living

Versão para impressão

I love reusable bags. I use the ones from my supermarket all the time, whether it is to carry food to a party, or small packages to the post office. I especially like the fact that my supermarket gives me a nickel back for every bag that I bring in myself and use right then and there. The trick has always been remembering to bring them into the store. Numerous times I have found myself on line to pay, and suddenly I remember those bags … sitting in the car, or hanging out on my counter at home. I have gotten better about bringing my reusable bags to the supermarket, mostly because I leave them in my purse or computer case at all times.

The concept of reusable shopping bags has progressed from bringing your own plastic bags, to using the polypropylene ones—the ones that look like cloth but aren’t—that most stores sell for about 99 cents, to elaborate and much larger plastic and fiber bags that feature bright colors, fancy versions of store names, and other designs. There are lots of other types of reusable bags—canvas, string, sling, polyester. All these bags are great, but often they become something else to carry with you when you enter a store.

That’s why my favorites are the ultra compact bags—ones that fold into little wads and can be stored in the bottom of a purse or briefcase—that way, I always have a bag with me in case I make some last minute stops. I don’t have to take a bag from every different store, or if I am making a series of small purchases, I have a bag to carry all of them in.

My personal favorites are the bags from Envirosax. They are made from a sturdy polyester material, roll up into a compact cylinder shape that fits snugly in my purse, open into a substantial-sized bag, and come in fantastic range of colors and patterns. There are lots of different makers of compact bags, and I have seen them in such stores as Barnes & Noble and Whole Foods. And the Web site reusablebags.com has all kinds of reusable products as well as many different styles of bag.

So pick one up today to keep handy, or better yet, give them as gifts. As my son’s teacher said after we gave one to her on her birthday, she used our gift to carry home all the other birthday gifts she received.