Canvas or Plastic Grocery Bags?

Canvas grocery bags have recently been making an appearance at the entrance to many grocery stores, selling for about $2 per bag. We know that plastic bags are bad for the environment, but are stores really trying to be more environmentally friendly, or are they just trying to get their customers to buy something else? Are canvas bags really more efficient than plastic bags?

In some countries, it makes sense to bring your own canvas bag into the store because some places charge their customers for the bags that their groceries get put into-even the cheap plastic ones. In countries like Ireland, who has put a customer tax on the plastic bags themselves, it’s cheaper to take your own bag than to rely on the ones at the store.

On the other hand, the United States is more dependent on their cars than some other countries. When customers walk, ride a bike, or take public transport to the grocery store, they tend to buy fewer items at once, although they might visit more often.

In the United States, with our abundance of large vehicles and long distances, shoppers tend to visit the grocery store just a couple of times per month and buy large quantities at once. For this kind of shopping, is it practical to use canvas bags when one shopping trip alone can garner more than a dozen of the plastic bags?

Yet, we still know that canvas is better for the environment. Some cities in the United States are now making laws to try to curb our plastic habit. San Francisco recently passed a law making it illegal for large grocery stores to use plastic bags. As an alternative, they offer biodegradable paper bags. Boston is also considering doing this, although some customers allege that doing this causes a new kind of problem with the environment-the cutting down of trees.

Still, most shoppers who have made the switch and use canvas bags say that they feel good that they are doing their part to be environmentally responsible.

Although less than 3% of plastic bags are recycled and many end up in landfills, flying through the air on windy days, and clogging city drains, some people have found creative ways to re-use the bags. Some shoppers report that they have used them to line kitty-litter boxes or to use in small garbage cans throughout the house.

There is also the argument that plastic bags are being made of a poorer quality than in the past and that the canvas bags actually do a better job of holding the groceries in. True, for most heavy purchases, the plastic bags have to be doubled, while the canvas bag can hold more weight. Also, plastic bags run the risk of tearing when the corner of a cereal box cuts into it at just the right angle.

Paper bags of the past were more environmentally friendly, but they weren’t always user-friendly. Most lacked handles and were hard to carry. Canvas bags have handles, making them easier to tote around.

If customers don’t want to purchase a canvas bag at the grocery store, they can always find them online or in other shops. There are many websites that sell canvas grocery bags and they can usually be personalized as well.

If shoppers want to go this route and find one elsewhere, they can usually find some that come with shoulder straps, which come in handy when walking long distances.

Although it does make more environmental sense to use the canvas bag instead of resorting to the plastic bags, it also takes a little more work on the customer. Instead of making large purchases at the store, it might be helpful to go a couple of times a week and purchase fewer groceries at one time. Or, to just buy quite a few canvas bags.

On the upside, although the canvas bags run around $2 per bag, they do generally last a while. If used correctly, they should last the average shopper around six months. Some are even made from recycled material for those who are environmentally conscious and can be washed several times.

At the moment, it’s up the customer as to whether or not they want to use the plastic bags or purchase canvas. However, if laws continue to be passed making it illegal to use plastic, it might not be a choice for much longer. In that case, it might be a good idea to go ahead and switch to the canvas bags now.