Single Use Plastic Grocery Bags

Santa Fe became the latest in a growing number of cities to ban plastic grocery bags...

The New Mexican

 

Sacramento, Calif. (AP) — Gov. Jerry Brown on Tuesday signed the nation's first statewide ban on single-use plastic bags at grocery and convenience stores, driven to action by pollution in streets and waterways.

Huffington Post, 9/30/2014

 

East Hampton and Southampton Towns Adopt Plastic Bag Ban

The Sag Harbor Express

 

My way of eliminating single use plastic grocery bags is to make them multiple use plastic grocery bags. I always carry a few in my back pocket. 

 

Mentioning the unmentionable
 

Mt Rainier National Park provides the following advice to climbers…

 

If you must defecate while climbing, use "Blue Bags" to carry out human waste.

"Blue Bags" are available at ranger stations and high camps. They contain one clear bag, one blue bag, and twist ties. To use the "Blue Bag," defecate on the snow away from the climbing route and rest areas. Collect the waste using the light blue bag like a glove. Turn the blue bag inside-out and secure with a twist tie. Place the blue bag in the clear bag and secure with a twist tie.

 

In the back country, there are situations where a procedure like this becomes necessary. I find two or three grocery bags and a twist tie or two invaluable.

 

Rover has the propensity to leave smelly presents during outdoor  adventures. Use the Mt Rainier method and your plastic bags to gift wrap Rover's little present.

 

My kids began life being back packed around the wilderness. When they made deposits, I used the Mt Rainier method to pack out the Pampers.

 

During my travels around North America I’ve been exposed to some disgusting latrines. A single use bag over each leg of a U shaped toilet seat makes an intolerable situation tolerable.

 

Other uses for single use plastic grocery bags

 

Beach combing

When I’m beach combing, a single use plastic grocery bag is useful to make a wet seat dry and to carry the treasures I find back to Camp Rohrbach.

 

Trash

The West affords many opportunities to camp for free. Disposing of trash is a major inconvenience. I use the bags. It’s easier to find trash cans to dispose of one grocery bag at a time, than it is to find a dumpster.

They make excellent litter bags for the minibago.

 

Fishing

I carry bags fishing, if I do keep a fish for dinner, I can bag it and throw it in my vest.

Packing

I use them as packing material when shipping, backpacking or transporting fragile items.

Lunch
Lunch stays fresh in the bags and provides a way to carry leftover’s while providing a means of transporting orange peels, packaging, etc

Waterproof

Single use plastic grocery bags provide a waterproof method of carrying cigars, tobacco, and strike anywhere matches.

 

Roadside rests

At roadside rests, I use them as placemats for the picnic table

 

Hiking

When hiking, I use them to collect kindling, tinder, mushrooms, berries, plant specimens and other treasures I find.

Sanitation
Sometimes I use them as rubber gloves.

Ice chest
In the Ice chest, I use plastic bags of different colors to organize different foods—one color for dairy, another for meat, and another for veggies. The bags separate the food from melting ice.

Camping

They can be used to stow camping gear such as cookware, tent stakes, condiments, and other camp necessities.

 

Point to remember

You’ll find single use plastic grocery bags indispensible in the world of the bum.