Such an important cause.  I'm in the SF Bay Area and so far Palo Alto has banned all plastic bags at grocery stores which is a great step.  I'm hoping surrounding communities catch on.  

-Sarah with Veggie-Kids.Blogspot

I really hate the idea of plastic bags, too, but we still use them from time to time to throw kitty litter into. However, we recycle all the rest at our grocery store. We NEVER throw them in the trash can unless they have kitty litter in them. I'd really love others' ideas about how you dispose of cat and dog waste so that we can get rid of plastic bags altogether! Thanks!

Hey Tamara! I have discovered a compostable pet waste bag made by biobag. I live in sf and they are in most markets. They also make bags for compost and trash. I use the doggy bags for small scoops when cleaning the litter box and the kitchen compost bags for the bigger scooping jobs. I never have to use another plastic bag. .Woohoo! Here is their website- http://www.biobagusa.com/Consumer.htm

Florida tried to propose a ban, but it didn't pass.  I've been using reusable bags for a couple of years now; prior to that, I always recycled my plastic bags.  Our Target store will give you back 5 cents if you use a reusable bag...Go Target! 

I just recently heard about the Great Pacific Garbage Patch (or Pacific Trash Vortex) which consists of a large area containing 100 million tons of plastic debris floating in the Pacific ocean. Somewhere between the size of Hawaii and the size of the continental United States depending how you measure it. Stunning really.

Edmonds and Bellingham have adopted ordinances in WA where I live and Seattle is currently considering it for the second time.

Mark Osborne - www.VeganHealthAndFitness.com

I totally agree that plastic bags are HORRIBLE!!!!! I plan to do conservation marine biology studies in graduate school and I want to stop the plastic from entering our precious oceans!

However, I was wondering what would be alternative bags to use for garbage?

I live in South Australia and our state banned the use of non- compostable plastic bags back in 2009.  So far I think we are the only state in Australia with this law.  We are encouraged to buy reusable bags.  I am happy that our state has taken a step in the right direction.

Thank you so much for the info, Kate! Can't wait to check 'em out!

I have personally found I don't even need bags at all! I just use my cart!  I put all my groceries in the cart when I shop, then on the conveyer belt when I check out and then the baggers put them back into the cart for me. I was pleased with how willingly the staff @ Publix in Flagler beach was to do this for me.

 From there I take the groceries to my car,  put them into my trunk, and drive home. When I get home I can grab a clothes basket, box, or one of my reusable shopping bags if I need it to get them inside from the car but usually I just carry them from the car to the house in armloads without a bag or box or anything. It was so much easier than I expected and then I didn't have to worry about the bags at all.  It was easy even on a big trip with a 17lb bag of cat food!  I was so shocked, I really thought it would be a pain, I think I made about 5 trips max from the car to house, and I love the extra exercise and not using any bags at all.

@Tamara I have four cats and a dog so this is important to me too as we have to use a bag when disposing of the feces/litter for city pick-up.  I use all natural pine horse bedding that I get at a local feed supply store in town (costs a fraction of what pine litters cost in the stores) and then it is safe to compost in your yard compost (though you must do it for long enough or hot enough to make it safe to use on food plants) but it is safe to use on ornamental plants and then you have zero animal waste and no need for plastic bags at all.  I'm not there yet, I'm only composting kitchen food scraps and the clean litter with feces removed but I'm working on getting to where I can compost it all safely.  Kudos to you for wanting to lessen your impact! :)  

I don't know how many times I've found plastic grocery bags blown into my both my front and back yard. I found one on my neighbor's roof the other day, waited for it to come down and chased the d**n thing, until I got it. I myself, admit that its been hard for me to remember to bring enough of my reusables for my groceries, but its totally worth breaking the habit, for so many reasons. Especially for the ecological reasons. Also, for financial reasons. But, in the end it just makes sense not to use them. So don't.

Yeah I wish I would have known about Calabasses changing that I didn't know during the summer that happened and bought way too much stuff without my bags near by it was cool though my friend helped me carry.

Yeah, I'm also wondering about alternatives to use for garbage.  Anyone have any information?

Here in Colorado we have Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage where you must bring your own bags.  No bag with you?~then you use a shipping box that they received and unpacked.  Although other stores still offer both paper and plastic bags, there is a real movement here to banish the dreaded plastic bags, not to use paper and to use recyclable bags.  Most people use cloth bags, not only for groceries but in other stores, as well.  Happy Thanksgiving everyone!  Blessings!

I bought a sewing machine on sale in order to make my own reuseable cloth bags and I reuse plastic bags and when they become really wornout, then I use them to put my garbage in...I believe to waste not, want not...I love my cloth bags...I can use pretty fabric bought in the discount section of the local fabric store to make them...

wow!  i had no idea of the devastating effects of plastic bags on marine life.  at the beginning of this year, i made a vow to completely ban plastic bags from my life, but i'd ALWAYS forget my reusables at the grocery, so i'd end up either using my purse or buying more reusables.  i was mad at this extra expenditure (thinking that my small contribution wasn't really helping the earth anyway), but now i'm happy for it, after having read this post.  pittsburgh is so slow to the table on these sorts of reformations, so we are currently not a plastic bag free city.  i will look into matters to see of how that can change.  thank you for this post!  www.nicoleandgwendolyn.com