Ways to Recycle Plastic Bags at Home

Recycling continues to be a lifestyle for many, with ideas for using plastic bags at home just one of the ways you can be involved in saving the environment.

27/08/2020

 

 

Too many people think that recycling is a trend but this is not the case. Recycling is a lifestyle, a way in which we all need to be more aware of what causes the most harm to our environment and how we can help. Being eco-friendly and working towards a better lifestyle means looking at ways that you can be involved and make a difference.

Plastic bags continue to cause harm and are still manufactured, despite the danger these cause to our natural world. If we take a stand and avoid purchasing plastic bags at supermarket tills or whenever we shop, there will be no more need to manufacture these. In this article, we look at some of the ways you can put plastic bags to good use in the home:

 

 

 

 

 

 

You pay for plastic bags at the check-out and over time this can add up to a substantial amount of your hard-earned cash ending up on our dump sites.

 

 

TAKE PLASTIC BAGS SHOPPING WITH YOU

Plastic bags can be used over and over again until they are no longer of any use. Folding these up and taking them shopping with you is an easy way to say "NO" you don't need any bags when you reach the check-out till. It's not an inconvenience to carry around a few plastic shopping bags when you go shopping and if everyone did the same thing, we would have no more need for plastic shopping bags, except those that are already recycled and used by only a few supermarkets.

 

Do you believe paper bags are better than plastic shopping bags? You might be shocked to learn that more carbon is produced to manufacture paper bags than used for manufacturing plastic bags.

 

As an alternative to plastic shopping bags, having reusable cotton or fabric bags means you won't pay for plastic. Brown paper bags are now being used at some stores, but these cost around R2.50 per bag, which, again, is a waste of your money when it's just going to go in the dustbin.

 

 

KNIT, CROCHET, WEAVE OR MACRAMÉ WITH PLASTIC BAG PLARN

If you love to knit, crochet, do weaving or macramé, you can substitute synthetic wool or yarn with plarn. Plastic shopping bags can be turned into plarn and made into all types of useful articles in the home. You can even use plarn to make your own shopping bags that can be used again and again.

 

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Still not getting the idea. One of the hottest trends around is to use plarn for making rag rugs, wall hangings and art, belts and bracelets, skipping ropes and so many other items. That means you are using those plastic bags that you paid for and, instead of throwing them in the trash you are turning them into items you can make use of.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You can't only use plarn to make things, you can also use plarn - recycled plastic bags - to upcycle and give items a new life, like these wooden deck chairs below.

 

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USE PLASTIC BAGS IN THE GARDEN

Plastic bags can be used outdoor for a variety of tasks. Instead of forking out for plant pots or containers, use plastic shopping bags for growing produce. They are perfect for growing lettuce, but you can also use them for a variety of other vegetables and herbs.

 

 

When you are working in the garden plastic bags can come in handy in plenty of ways. Make knee guards using plastic shopping bags to protect your clothes. For a soft landing, add small pieces of foam to the plastic bags for comfort. You can also use plastic bags as makeshift gloves if you need to remove snails or slugs from the garden... yeuuck!

 

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There are still many other uses for plastic shopping bags and we hope to inspire you to be creative and share your projects on social media to spread the word.

 

 

 

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