10 Tips to Make Use of Your Plastic Bags

Find "Your Inner Green"

By Eryn Sun, Christian Post Reporter Friday, August 05, 2011

In a world where the expression “Recycle, Reuse, and Reduce” is not just a catchy phrase we learned in grade school anymore, it’s imperative that every individual do their part in keeping green today.

More and more Americans are taking care to recycle their plastic, paper and aluminium.

Perhaps the simplest place someone can start "going green" is recycling those plastic bags from the store.

If you are someone who uses paper over plastic – you might want to rethink your options.

Plastic bags are an extremely resource-efficient disposable bag choice contrary to public opinion, according to the American Chemistry Council (ACC).

“Plastic grocery bags require 70 percent less energy to manufacture than paper bags, and produce half the amount of greenhouse gas emissions in the process,” the council shared as noted by the Boustead Consulting & Associates Ltd. in a report prepared for the Progressive Bag Alliance.

Also consuming less than 4 percent of the water needed to make paper bags, plastic bags make up less than 0.5 percent of the solid waste stream and generate 80 percent less waste than paper bags, the ACC said in their report.

Here are a few resourceful ways you can reuse your plastic bags – suggested by the all-in-one super store Target – that might help you in your path to "discovering your inner green."

Use and abuse plastic bags for these tasks to your heart’s content.

1. Tiny Trash Can Liner

2. Doggy Duty

3. Water Balloon

4. Road Trip Rubbish

5. Soggy Laundry

6. Ice Pack

7. Toiletry Tote

8. Kitty Litter Liner

9. Tomorrow’s Lunch Bag

10. Care Package Padding/ Mailing Fillers