Use re-useable bags
First of all, take a look around at what you already have in the house - rucksacks, sports bags, beach bags and even travel bags can all be used to bring home your shopping. If you haven't got anything suitable, raid your local charity shops - that way, you'll be reusing someone else's reusable bag! Otherwise, you'll often find reusable bags in cotton, jute or hemp for sale in your local area - try markets, fair trade shops, or shops attached to nature reserves or wildlife centres.
Some enlightened greengrocers and independent food shops are beginning to stock them too. And of course, there are always the 'Bags for Life' promoted and sold by the major supermarkets (although, like us, you may prefer not to offer them your free advertising ...). Don't turn up your nose at those good old fashioned baskets, either - in France you'll see anyone who's anyone toting them along to shops and markets. If you can't find anything close at hand, try the following:
- New Internationalist have organic cotton bags for £6.99.
- WWF have some great string bags in natural and cerise for £4.99 ( enter 'turtle bag' into the search box). Natural Collection have them too, for £3.95.
- Big Barn sell jute bags, either plain or with their logo, for a very reasonable £3.95.
- One Village have basic jute bags for just £1.
- Tree2mydoor have a whole range of eco-friendly bags.
If you inadvertently bring disposable bags home from a shopping trip ... reuse them! We have experimented with the blue flimsy bags provided by one of our local greengrocers and found that with care they're good for at least nine fills of vegetables!
