While we'd like to see everyone converting over to reusable shopping bags, until plastic bags are entirely banned, the numbers show us that the average American uses between 300 and 700 plastic bags per year. This adds up to the United States to going through 100,000,000,000 (billion) plastic shopping bags every year. Target (one of my favorite places to shop of all times) has printed up suggestions right on their bags for ways of reusing plastic bags.
10 Ways to Reuse a Plastic Bag
Tiny Trashcare Liner
Doggy Duty
Water Balloon
Roadtrip Rubbish
Soggy Laundry
Ice Pack for Head
Toiletry Tote
Kitty Litter Liner
Tomorrow's Lunchbag
Care Package Padding
My Favorite Ways to Reuse a Plastic Bag In addition to being my favorite store to shop, Target plastic bags are also my favorite plastic bags, because there are so many ways to reuse them. My personal favorites include
Carrying Gym Clothes or Work-out Clothes and shoes
Making portable Knitting projects to carry on-the-go
Storing Yarn
Packing Toiletries for a trip
Easy Garbage bag for the car
Gift Package Wrapping
Package Packing/padding
Filling with paper, colored pencils and coloring books as portable activity kits for the girls
Keeping on hand in the car for emergencies e.g. storing wet clothes, shoes and other wet children things
Mini garbage bag for the bathroom.
Other Ways of Using Plastic Bags Some of the other ways of reusing a plastic bag include
Easy 'gloves' to protect your hands when handling food (or pet leavings)
Recycling Plastic Bags - The Retote Target has found a way to Recycling all of their plastic bags that are turned in, creating a Retote. You get the latest issue of Newsweek, send in your old plastic Target bags and they send you a coupon for a Retote bag.
I decided not to get one, because we already have a lot of their regular reusable bags and the My Green Sacs. If you are interested in knowing more about Target's Retote program take a look at these related articles.
Target (one of my favorite places to shop of all times) has printed up suggestions right on their bags for ways of reusing plastic bags.
10 Ways to Reuse a Plastic Bag
My Favorite Ways to Reuse a Plastic Bag
In addition to being my favorite store to shop, Target plastic bags are also my favorite plastic bags, because there are so many ways to reuse them. My personal favorites include
- Carrying Gym Clothes or Work-out Clothes and shoes
- Making portable Knitting projects to carry on-the-go
- Storing Yarn
- Packing Toiletries for a trip
- Easy Garbage bag for the car
- Gift Package Wrapping
- Package Packing/padding
- Filling with paper, colored pencils and coloring books as portable activity kits for the girls
- Keeping on hand in the car for emergencies e.g. storing wet clothes, shoes and other wet children things
- Mini garbage bag for the bathroom.
Other Ways of Using Plastic BagsSome of the other ways of reusing a plastic bag include
- Turning Your Plastic Bags into Fabric to Reuseand make your own tote.
- Wet umbrella holders
- Create plastic 'yarn' for crocheting into different projects e.g. bags, hats
- Knee protectors for gardening
- Easy 'gloves' to protect your hands when handling food (or pet leavings)
Recycling Plastic Bags - The RetoteTarget has found a way to Recycling all of their plastic bags that are turned in, creating a Retote. You get the latest issue of Newsweek, send in your old plastic Target bags and they send you a coupon for a Retote bag.
I decided not to get one, because we already have a lot of their regular reusable bags and the My Green Sacs. If you are interested in knowing more about Target's Retote program take a look at these related articles.
- Target + Newsweek + Terracycle = Bags!
- Calling All Target Plastic Bags
- NEWSWEEK, Target and TerraCycle Team Up for Innovative Program
Do you have more ideas?Be sure to share your favorite ways of reusing a plastic bag as part of the Mommyfest Blog Party.