primitives re-use plastic bags

[GOBUCKS]

I use to use butcher paper for meat but switched to the vacuum package system.  It costs more but there is almost never any freezer burn.  I cut the meat the way I want it and pack it in my choice of portion size.

The place where I take my deer started using vacuum packing. It's great! You can go at least a year without a trace of freezer burn.

[chitownchica]

I use to use butcher paper for meat but switched to the vacuum package system.  It costs more but there is almost never any freezer burn.  I cut the meat the way I want it and pack it in my choice of portion size.  

I've thought about using one, but never have purchased.  I normally wrap small amounts in freezer paper and then load that all in a freezer bag. I've never had freezer burn, but that's probably because I don't have enough meat in the freezer to last that long

What type of vacuum sealer do you have?

[Chris_]

Vacuum sealers are great for meat.  I had 40 pounds of salmon after a trip to Alaska (the folks kept the rest) a few years ago and it lasted for over a year.  I only threw out one piece due to freezer burn.

If you get good bags or the rolls, you can re-use them as long as the seals are okay.  I've washed and re-used those expensive freezer bags a few times.

[zeitgeist]

I've thought about using one, but never have purchased.  I normally wrap small amounts in freezer paper and then load that all in a freezer bag. I've never had freezer burn, but that's probably because I don't have enough meat in the freezer to last that long

What type of vacuum sealer do you have?

Food Saver Model 1050.  It must be older than dirt by now seems like I have had it forever.  I don't use many pre made bags, checked the price yesterday at BJ's  about $20 for 44 quart bags.  I do buy some for when I am in a rush and don't want to make my own custom from the roll stock.

I like to not have to run to the store all the time, micorwaves do a great job of defrosting and having having plenty of stuff on hand makes meal planning a snap.

[Freeper]

I heard they make ziplock bags from puppy skins. Maybe the DUmmies should quit using them at all.

[GOBUCKS]

I heard they make ziplock bags from puppy skins. Maybe the DUmmies should quit using them at all.

The Japanese will make some great ziplock bags from radiation-poisoned dolphins...and whales...oh, my god, no..not the whales!

[RobJohnson]

The Japanese will make some great ziplock bags from radiation-poisoned dolphins...and whales...oh, my god, no..not the whales!

Single payer healthcare now! 

[PatriotGame]

They waste more chemicals and energy on trying to clean the bags in hot water with soap, bleech, then more hot water to rinse....

Nothing like the using a zip lock bag that smells like dawn & bleech for that batch of granola trail mix.  

They must be heating the water over a fire in the back yard. We all know those water heaters are evil carbon footprints....

Don't they know that plastic bags are made from petroleum? Those poor little baby seals.

Being thrifty is one thing, using it to gain street creed  on DU is stupid...

BUTT...cleaning those nasty hydrocarbon artifacts and reusing them just feels sooo liberally good. And, as a boner, ya gets mounds of DUmp cred for bragging about it.

[Adisa]

Perhaps its an exercise in foolishness

Uh...duh!

[Karin]

The Greenies have ALWAYS ignored the activities that cannot be seen, such as energy and chemical use in recyclng.  They just pretend it doesn't exist, and wander happily off.  It's always been this way, and there's no banging it through their heads.  You can see it today, with the coal-powered cars they love so much. 

[BlueStateSaint]

The Greenies have ALWAYS ignored the activities that cannot be seen, such as energy and chemical use in recyclng.  They just pretend it doesn't exist, and wander happily off.  It's always been this way, and there's no banging it through their heads.  You can see it today, with the coal-powered cars they love so much. 

We reuse the plastic bags--one time each, if we use them to get Oreo's leavings in her litter box.

[Evil_Conservative]

I reuse our plastic bags from the stores.  I use them as garbage bags for the bathroom garbage.  I have a number of plastic ziplock bags for every store I shop at, I put my coupons/shopping list in them.  That way I have them fairly organized.  I'll continue using those bags until they start to rip/tear.  I rarely ever purchase ziplock bags because we do not use them that often. 

[Evil_Conservative]

We reuse the plastic bags--one time each, if we use them to get Oreo's leavings in her litter box.

This too.  I'd hate to buy litter bags or whatever they are called.  Waste of money when I have a two year supply of plastic bags laying around.

[IassaFTots]

I use the plastic shopping bags as trash bags for my bathroom trash cans.  And as lunch sacks too.  I will reuse a plastic freezer bag if it isn't messed up, or too dirty. I would say probably about 75% of my bags get rotated.  I truly don't do it to be an annoying hippie about it, I do it because I don't like wasting money. 

The lessons I was taught as a youth, in frugality, are now "green."

[franksolich]

I'm mystified.

Some here have mentioned using used plastic food bags for cat-litter.

How does that work, exactly?

A cat-litter box holds a lot of litter, far too much to fit in a plastic food bag.

Since I live out in the country and use cat-litter that's simply baked clay, no other ingredients, I just take the whole box and toss it outdoors, to where the garden grows.  Great fertilizer.

[Evil_Conservative]

I'm mystified.

Some here have mentioned using used plastic food bags for cat-litter.

How does that work, exactly?

A cat-litter box holds a lot of litter, far too much to fit in a plastic food bag.

Since I live out in the country and use cat-litter that's simply baked clay, no other ingredients, I just take the whole box and toss it outdoors, to where the garden grows.  Great fertilizer.

I scoop their waste into the plastic bags and then toss them out.

[Chris_]

I think the DUmmies are referring to plastic shopping bags.  If you double-bag them, I suppose they would hold quite a bit of cat litter.

Can't imagine sitting around filling sandwich bags with used cat litter.  That would take too long.

[franksolich]

I scoop their waste into the plastic bags and then toss them out.

Right; you live in a city, and so you have to do that.

For me, it's just easier to up-end the plastic litter-box over where I want the ground fertilized, dumping the whole thing.

[vesta111]

I wonder if they reuse tampons too.

This subject came up one day at work, what to do with a used tampon.  Thank heavens we were at work, had we all been in a bar it could have gotten really bad.

Soak used tampoms in wax and use as candles for holidays.

Used tampons can make great curtain tie backs.  

Two or three hanging from the rear view mirror is a statement.

[debk]

I reuse the plastic grocery bags for all kinds of stuff. Usually trash.

I will reuse zip locks depending on what was in them. I don't reuse them for food, unless it was one that was the outer bag of something frozen, I will reuse it again for double bagging.

I buy mine at the Dollar Tree. I think there are about 18 to a box, and they have the zipper tags on them. They work just as well as the expensive kind.

Dollar Tree also had cat litter bags.

[IassaFTots]

I'm mystified.

Some here have mentioned using used plastic food bags for cat-litter.

How does that work, exactly?

A cat-litter box holds a lot of litter, far too much to fit in a plastic food bag.

Since I live out in the country and use cat-litter that's simply baked clay, no other ingredients, I just take the whole box and toss it outdoors, to where the garden grows.  Great fertilizer.

Vegetable garden, Frank?

I think they were referring to the plastic shopping bags you get at the grocery store.  I could be wrong.

[BlueStateSaint]

I scoop their waste into the plastic bags and then toss them out.

Same here, Coach.

[zeitgeist]

Vegetable garden, Frank?

I think they were referring to the plastic shopping bags you get at the grocery store.  I could be wrong.

Hummmmmmm and here I have been trying to discourage cats from using my vegetable and flower gardens as a cat box.  If that is the system why not just cut of the middle man, dispense with the litter box, and let nature takes course?  Unless of course the cats don't go outdoors which I guess might be an issue some places.

I much prefer my organic fertiliizer not quite so ripe. I do not enjoy finding clumps of stuff clinging to my feet whether with or with out shoes. 

[MP_Sarge]

Cats going outside is an issue everywhere.

Unless you consider road-kill kitties, predation and shelter over-population positives.

[franksolich]

Hummmmmmm and here I have been trying to discourage cats from using my vegetable and flower gardens as a cat box.  If that is the system why not just cut of the middle man, dispense with the litter box, and let nature takes course?  Unless of course the cats don't go outdoors which I guess might be an issue some places.

I much prefer my organic fertiliizer not quite so ripe. I do not enjoy finding clumps of stuff clinging to my feet whether with or with out shoes. 

The cats here are sort of odd.

The ones who are mostly "indoor" cats like outdoor plumbing.

The ones who are mostly "outdoor" cats like inside plumbing.

But it works; this is a pretty big property, with several gardens first planted during the 1880s.

Myself being no gardener, every spring I just let what wants to spring up, spring up.

Broccoli and cucumbers is about all that I swipe out of it, though; the rest, I let sprout, grow, ripen, and then rot back into the soil.