Part of one family’s ever-growing collection of reusable shopping bags. (David Conwell)

David Conwell

These days New Englanders often see shoppers hauling their purchases in reusable bags. Some of us have voluntarily ditched single-use plastic bags because producing them wastes resources, recycling opportunities are limited, and they often end up as litter. Others live in municipalities or states, including Connecticut, Maine, New Jersey, Rhode Island, and Vermont, which have banned single-use shopping bags. While the widespread adoption of reusable alternatives has significantly cut single-use plastic bag consumption, many reusable shopping-bags do not necessarily represent progress towards greater sustainability.

One type of reusable bag is shaped like a typical single-use sack but consists of thicker plastic and is often clearly identified as reusable. Such totes seem advantageous because they can be used over and over. However, in practice—and even though one must pay for them—these bags may quickly become trash. After banning single-use plastic bags in 2016, for example, California saw an increase in the per-person weight of plastic sacks used and thrown out.

Another type of durable tote often made of plastic tends to resemble a beach bag. These are made from various plastics (often woven), fitted with strap handles, and printed with logos and designs. Unfortunately, the printing sometimes contains lead, which will eventually poison our environment, while harmful bacteria may build up unless the bags are washed frequently. Last, these bags need to be used about eleven times before their environmental impact declines to the level of single-use bags. Too often, though, they are quickly forgotten, pile up at home, and ultimately land in the trash.

Bags made from paper and cotton also seem like eco-friendly choices at first. Paper can be recycled, and neither of these biodegradable materials produce microplastics as they break down. However, manufacturing both paper bags and cotton bags is surprisingly resource-intensive and usually involves harmful chemicals and fertilizers. Also, recycling paper bags uses up resources, pollutes water with chemicals, and dirties the air with fumes from many trucks. Accordingly, one has to use such bags a perhaps unrealistic number of times to negate their environmental impact (see “Single Use Plastic Bags and Their Alternatives” at https://www.lifecycleinitiative.org/).

Unfortunately and counter-intuitively, reusable cotton, paper, and durable plastic bags are more damaging to the environment than single-use plastic bags unless they are used an often-unrealistic number of times. All is not lost, however, for there are plenty of sustainable alternatives.

To begin with, forgo shopping bags altogether, if possible. If you are a hiker, just use the same backpack you use for on the trails. Or else keep empty bins, such as cardboard boxes, metal storage containers, or old milk crates, in your car and load them with purchases stowed in your shopping cart at checkout.

When you need or prefer bags, then turn pillowcases, sham covers, or accent pillow covers into sacks. Sew on handles or shoulder straps and you will be all set—at least for transporting dry goods. Similarly, try using repurposed sacks of all kinds to which you have added handles if needed, such as feed bags, mail bags, sacks for rice, grain, or coffee, military duffel bags, and so on. These sorts of carriers are easily obtained via the internet if you have none on hand.

You might also upcycle items you already have or discover at secondhand stores. The range of materials you can turn into bags is limited only by your imagination: old curtains, decorator fabrics, sheets, t-shirts, and so forth. Go ahead and rescue Tyvek scraps from a building site! Designs and instructions are available on the internet—and have some fun by involving creative kids.

If buying bags is your best option, carriers made from such natural materials as burlap, hemp, jute, cotton (including mesh), and canvas can be found in stores and online. A successful chain of stores in Maine, for example, sells totes made from retired sails. And all manner of rope, wicker, and mesh or wire metal baskets are available. Remember, though, that some of these options are less eco-friendly than others. For instance, cotton bags must be used 50-150 times to have less impact on the climate than a single-use plastic bag.

In replacing your single-use shopping bags, then, you do have sustainable options! Just remember to own only as many reusable bags, bins, or baskets as you need, bring them along when you go out, and keep them clean.