Recycling
When it was first announced that plastic shopping bags were to be banned, we started collecting them. They are exactly the right size to line the kitchen rubbish bin and they had the nice handles which you could tie together to keep it all together when you threw it in the big bin. We recycled around 80% of the bags we got when doing our shopping that way.
I have just opened a packet of bin lining bags to use for the first time. They are almost identical to the bags we used to get from the supermarket, except that now we have to buy them. It makes me wonder whether the ban really saves as much as they said it would.
The other problem with the bag ban is that I still forget to take my nice re-usable bags to the supermarket with me 
March 1st, 2010 at 7:29 am
Yes, I wonder myself if the bag ban has actually had the desired environmental effect.
Would be better off just having bio-degradable bags…
March 1st, 2010 at 8:44 am
We now seem to have zillions of the smaller tear-off bags from the fresh grocery section (funny that). We’ve bought smaller 5L bins which they fit very well, and have reclaimed more floor space in the process.
Yes the re-usable cloth bags do seem to congregate in three piles. One in the car boot, one in the kitchen, and one by the door (ready to go into the car). So I guess we haven’t really reclaimed much floor space after all. Oh well.
March 1st, 2010 at 12:13 pm
I’m looking forward to my trip to QLD where they give you a new bag for every 3 items at the supermarket. It’s crazily wasteful but really handy for us to use as bin bags in the caravan!
March 21st, 2010 at 9:12 pm
I keep forgetting as well, and then BUY the biodegradable bags from the supermarket for a mere 10 cents each. Then use them as bin liners.