The Best Reusable Grocery Bag

If you’re concerned about the environment, you’re probably looking for ways to reduce your household’s carbon footprint. One way to do that is to cut down on single-use plastics, which have been cited as a top contributor to environmental issues. In fact, we produce 300 million tons of plastic every year across the globe, 91 percent of which ends up either in landfills or discarded as litter.

Like other single-use plastics, grocery bags don’t break down easily. In fact, experts say they can take up to 1,000 years to fully degrade, and recycling isn’t a viable option because it costs more to recycle plastic bags than what they’re worth. Most curbside recycling programs ban grocery bags, forcing consumers to either toss them into the regular garbage or take them to a grocery store that accepts them for recycling.

Reusable grocery bags have become a great alternative to grocery store plastic. Not only are they more environmentally friendly, but they’re also easier to use. You can stand them up on the carousel and fill them, then slide them into your trunk to take home. Typically, you can squeeze far more groceries into each bag, resulting in fewer trips from your trunk to your kitchen when you arrive home. But there are a few things you need to consider when choosing grocery bags, including capacity and ease of use.

• As you choose your grocery bags, picture the size of the carousels at your favorite grocery store. If you do self-checkout, you’ll need to be especially aware of whether your chosen bags will fit into the slots.
• Having bags with rigid sides is helpful, as they will hold the bag open while you’re loading and unloading them.
• When you aren’t shopping, you’ll need to store your bags. Some fold down to easily slide into your pantry or your trunk, while others fold up into small squares. You can also find bags that come with a zipper pouch to hold the bags between uses.
• The handles of your bag will come into play, as well. Longer handles are convenient for tossing over your shoulder, but shorter handles may give you more control. Remember that you’ll probably be toting heavy items like canned goods and gallons of milk, so choose a bag with reinforced handles and tear-resistant fabric.
• Insulated bags are bulkier and thicker, but they free you up to make a few stops on the way home without having to worry about your refrigerated and frozen items getting warm.
• Over time, your grocery bags will accumulate dirt and grime. Some bags can be tossed in the washing machine to clean, then line dried. Others will need to be wiped down.