The Cottage Smallholder

I wouldn't go as far as you, Aly, but we have been cutting down on our use of plastic bags for months.  The last time we went to the Eden Project, I bought some large sturdy hessian bags (think they were 3 for £10), they're very strong and pretty too, they had loads of lovely flowery ones to choose from.  These I now use for our supermarket shop.  When the Government first introduced the 5p bag charge, I bought half a dozen of the stronger 10p supermarket plastic bags, these live in one of the seat pockets in the car so we always have some bags available when we're out and about.  When they wear out I shall replace them with cloth bags, easily foldable and portable.  I have one cloth bag folded up in my handbag too.

I still buy and use plastic bags for food, but have cut down drastically on buying them since I now wash and reuse them - I never used to before, one use and they were thrown away (how wasteful!!   ). 

I always use cloth or hessien bags, I have bought at various times