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Comment by mustacheemperor | Hacker News Reader

I actually essentially do that, I have a reusable bag that folds up into itself with a zipper into a package about the size of a wallet. Fits well in a purse or jacket pocket and is more pleasant to carry when full than a plastic bag anyhow.

So really, there’s not even a small sacrifice involved for me, just a little bit of planning, to avoid making that waste.

And isn’t this kind of ingenious gadget based solution much more in the hacker spirit than throwing up our hands and saying, give me back the old traditional way regardless of the flaws?

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Same. My bag's the size of half a wallet when folded, so it's not really a bother to carry a couple, let alone one. I tend to keep at least a couple in my car's glove box as well.

I'm not sure my plastic usage has decreased though, since I used to recycle the thin plastic bags to line my trash bins. Now I buy oversized white plastic trash bags to line my bins. I just can't wrap my head around e.g. having a bathroom trash bin without a bag protecting it. It feels incredibly gross, though I do know one family that does that. I guess/hope they wash their bins very regularly.

That’s cool that you do that.

I don’t like carrying things that I rarely use and try to minimize stuff I carry. And that’s basically just a phone and my clothes.

Even if you carry a bag, I frequently find that I need two or three or more.

I think a better solution is to just have decomposable plastic bags and solve the issue that way.

I'm a little surprised you don't bring a wallet or money into a store. I'm not being pedantic, but folded it's around the same size. A good reusable bag carries about what two to three plastic bags do. Plus, you only have to carry a bag when you're actually going into the store, anywhere else you can keep it in your vehicle.

I buy things with my phone. Sometimes I might have cash but that’s almost never.

Where are you before you go into a shop? Surely some times it's at work or home, or the car. Might help to keep a couple of fold-up bags in each of those spots. Usually habits lag these phased changes by a couple of years, but you get better at being prepared or anticipating times you'll need them.

I’ll give you an example from today. I was out for coffee and wasn’t expecting to go shopping. I walked to a book store and bought some books. They have me a plastic bag. I’d normally turn it down and just carry the books, but it was raining a little bit.

If it was important, I’d remember. I don’t think this is important so I don’t care enough to always carry a bag with me.

I'm not saying there are never situations where it's useful, just that they're uncommon and collateral damage in trying to change broader behaviour (whether by charging for bags or changing the bags on offer).

In your example where I live, they'd offer a paper bag which would cover the little bit of rain. If there was enough rain to cause trouble, people would have an umbrella.

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