Reuse your bread bags

By Coralie, on February 19th, 2009 at 12.53 PM

Another way of limiting and reducing your use of plastic is to use your bread bags again for more bread. When the loaf is finished, simply turn the bag inside out to get rid of the crumbs and put it inside your resuable shopping bags so that you won’t forget it when you return to the bakery. If you buy your bread from the supermarket you won’t be able to do this (I don’t buy supermarket bread since I prefer my bread without all those preservatives), but if you ask nicely, most bakeries will be happy to take your bag for your new loaf.

Think of how often you buy bread. There are only two of us in my tiny household and we buy one loaf every week. That’s 52 bread bags per year. Let’s assume conservatively that that the bag might stay in good condition for just one month, then that number is reduced to only 12 bags per year. If you’re gentle with your bag, then that’s even fewer bags every year.

If you don’t buy bakery bread there are plenty of other ways to use all of those bread bags:

They’re the perfect size to use as a bin liner for small bench-top bins.
Carry one or two in your car or hand bag for unexpected rubbish, wet clothing, muddy shoes, nappies.
They make great freezer bags.
Fruit and vegetables can go in them, first at the fruit shop and then in the fridge.
Pack your lunches in them.

Do you have any more ideas? Leave a comment to share!

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Sheri

February 19th, 2009 at 1.04 pm

If you cut them along one side so it makes one big square, you can use them as a the liner on the kitty litter…although my kitty is very dramatic and liners just get torn to shred!

Use them when traveling to store items that may leak ie: moisturizers, foundation, etc.

Use for a little bit extra packing material when posting things (if you are an avid eBayer like myself)

Store cleaning clothes in them so they don’t get filthy from dust whilst sitting in the cupboard.