are you still using plastic bags ,aren't u?

I am not using plastic bags much at all any more. Our grocery stores and department stores have already started to charge for them, so I use the reusable canvas bags for all my purchases. The aim (in Canada) is to eliminate all plastic bags by January of 2010. So, unless you are willing to purchase them each time at a cost of 3 to 5 cents each, you will have no choice but to use something else.

Hey Cheriezhao, In Ireland we use plastic bags every day for our rubbish and to carry grocery's home from the store. I'm not sure how it works in other countries but in Ireland if you want a plastic bag for your groceries you have to buy them each one in 22c each the government say it's to help the environment and to cut down on rubbish personally I don't think it's working. I dont know how we would function without plastic bags though it must be very hard in your country to carry you food etc home. Good post :)

yes I still use them for trash and for other things and it is allowed here where I live at and they come in handy to keep the clutter away.

i know there are certain places in the Philippines that plastic bags is not anymore allowed to use, even in the market place. but there are also some places that still, encourage the use of plastic bags, because they found treasures from it. it only depends in the after use of it and how it will be disposed of.

Plastic bags are still the most common grocery bags in our country but department stores are exerting effort support environment-friendly advocacy like scheduling a day for "bring your own bags" for the grocery and displays grocery bags that are made of cloth and paper (expensive but will create a great impact in preserving our environment). Recycling plastic bags is also part of the advocacy. We use our grocery bags for our garbage. There is also an additional charge for extra grocery bag.

I don't know wether my goverment ask me not to use a plastic bag, but almost of supermarket in our country still use it. But some store was used a canvas bag. I think my goverment was made law about it. Maybe it still not socializing yet.

I use them. The trick is not to use them only once. That's bad for the planet. I get them in the grocery store and use them to put in my small trash can, carry around time of the month products, and dispose of cat litter. Of course, when I'm done with all of that, they're dirty and you can't reuse them again. At that point, the bags go to the landfill, and I'm not sure if there's anything I can do about it. If you have an idea, I would like to hear it.

I usually take cloth bags with me to the grocers, but sometimes when I go to the Mall or to another store, I might find something that we need and if the article does not fit into my handbag, the salesperson will offer me a plastic bag. That is usually in stores that do not have cloth or reusable bags to sale and since sometimes the bags are a certain size and are too small for the item one buys, they will give you a large plastic bag. I mean who wants something to fall on the way home and who carries around a large basket or shopping cart around and it is cheaper then having it delivered. Oh plastic bags can be reused. First there is taking something to a neighbor, putting something in for the 2nd hand shop and there is if there is snow on the ground putting the stuff out in the trash. But the environmentalists do not think that far ahead. Right now I am taking my kitchen trash that I used to take to the garbage and buying it in that pile of grass at the side of my house. Do not know what I will do when the snow is 5 inches or more thick.

Here the plastic bags are not encouraged to use. The plastic bags will not offer for the customers free of charge. Since the plastic bags will be polluted for the environment, so this rule is carried out in June this year. I have got used to it. I always bring my own bag when I go shopping. This is a good habit and I think it won't give you more troubles to bring your own bag to go shopping. I love China

Only once in a great while I use those plastic bags. It is almost never. I have a collection of canvas bags and they work well and are really handy and sturdy. I keep them in my car. Once in a while I forget to bring them back out to my car or to grab t hem when I run in the store and use the plastic ones. The more I use the canvas ones the more natural it seems. It makes sense.

Sad to say that most of the malls and grocery stores are still using plastic bags. Its still everywhere. When doing the grocery, my wife had this big bags made of cloth which we are using every time we do the grocery. Its re-usable and much easier to carry. Some grocery stores are offering the same thing to their customers and others too find it more efficient and environmental friendly. But not all stores are like this. The government should ban the used of plastic bags. Laws can be passed easily but the implementation is very poor.

i am chinese. now i stay in united states. i always go shopping at walmart and smith's, these market still provide plastic bag and you don't need to pay for it. but there are some markets which provide recycle paper bags and i don't know if people need to pay for it.

Though i know it is harmfull for environment, but i do use plastic bags.

Yes but I keep mine in a bag at home an reuse them for things, paper bags aren't even a option in most places anymore. In some places they give you a fabric bag, an let you continually shop with it over an over, but most people don't use them. I have one from Target I have never used, I think it looks kinda like a purse...lol

We have canvas bags for our shopping. But sometimes we do forget them. THen yes we use the plastic bags. But we re-use the plastic. For lining the bathroom trash cans, for one. Yes it is allowed in the USA.

hi cheriezhao Where I shop in the U.S. they do not charge me for plastic bags and believe me they are so much lighter to carry. I am handicapped so carrying a lot of heavy stuff is almost impossible so I am glad they still let us have plastic bags which makes my burdens less heavy. I recycle them so no harm done to anyone.

In our country, India for example, a very thin variety of plastic is still under circulation besides the huge plastic bags used by retail stores in Malls. So I guess unless the government doesn't take the steps to abolish these altogether a swell and ensure a complete replacement with ecofriendly bags, there's not much the citizens can do, considering a large majority are even not educated enough to comrehend the implications of non-decomposable materials like plastic.

yes I know hazard a plastic for our environment but I can not avoid practical nature of the plastic bags which durable, easily folded, and not easily damaged