Check out this cool video on how to crochet plastic grocery bags into funky and functional items. In it, crafty Cristen Andrews shows us how to make a can koozie. More instruction on how to recycle and reuse plastic bags with crochet needles can be found in her blog, www.cristencrochet.blogspot.com.
 

Everyone tends to think of the disposable plastic bags that stores hand out as free, but actually, we pay for them... to the tune of about $4 billion a year, according to the Wall Street Journal. Not only would our groceries bills come down a bit if everyone would bring reusable bags when they shop, but we would also be taking a small step to protect the environment and conserve our non-renewable fossil fuels (most plastics are made from petroleum). Plastic bags are generally not biodegradable — even the ones that claim they are! When the bags blow from landfills into lakes, rivers and the oceans, animals sometimes mistake them for food and are killed when they swallow the bags.

According to The Wall Street Journal, billions of plastic grocery bags are handed out every day in the United States.

In a recent poll, we asked visitors to Mother Earth News if you brought your own grocery bags to the store. Here’s what we found out…

Do you bring your own grocery bags? (362 responses)

I try, but I forget sometimes
35%

I never leave home without them
25%

I recycle my used plastic bags
15%

Never
14%

I would if I remembered
9%

It depends
2%

Need a source for sturdy reusable tote bags? Check out the ones we offer at MotherEarthNews.com.