Contentious as it is, there may be a case for Ziplock bags.
DON’T RUN AWAY ENVIRO-FRIENDS!!!!! I have an argument! I HAVE AN ARGUMENT!
Exhibit A:
Island of Misfit Containers
Kids lose stuff. No one can accuse me of being easy on my kids (read previous tips for proof), but they are still kids, and we have this running pile of misfit containers whose mates have either been lost or broken.
Exhibit B:
Wash and go Ziplocks
We wash our bags. We do not use them for meats. They take quite a beating, they’re tough, and take very little room. They return home from school as often as, if not more than, their rigid plastic cousins, in part because they are a one-piece system. That’s my opinion, anyway.
Exhibit C:
WCS Recycling knows what to do with Ziplocks
WCS Recycling takes my Ziplocks for recycling. True, they also take the rigid plastics from my Island of Misfit Containers, but Ziplocks are arguably less material intensive than rigid plastics. If we recall the first of the three Rs, REDUCE, then it would be fair to say that the initial material input of Ziplocks is more favourable than that of rigid containers. Yes? This is a working theory, so add your thoughts!
This may be a discussion of semantics, I don’t have the exact details, such as the energy or water intensity of both kinds of plastics. Some will argue for containers made out of other materials, but metal and glass are also energy, material, and water intensive, and again, are just as likely to be lost by my children. Perhaps clever bags and wraps made from recycled fabrics win this debate, I’m just not sure.
Hot tip! Techniques for washing Ziplocks are invaluable. I put my dish soap and hot water right into the bags as I’m filling the sink for washing up, then rub the dish cloth inside each bag. Just pay close attention to the corners. Turn them upside down for a while to drain the bulk water, then flip them over to let the condensate out. (Oh yes, these are indeed the sweet nothings that I whisper into my hubby’s ear at night)
Read more tips, that just might work, here.
Live within limits without limiting life
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Environmentalist Egalitarian Engineer 
October 15th, 2012 at 1:03 pm
About 4 years ago, I made a new rule. The only hard plastic containers we will have in the house are Ziplock ones. I am not advocating for that particular brand, you could choose Glad. That way, as they go missing, you can replenish them and they still match.
December 20th, 2012 at 9:53 pm
and they are actually recyclable in our municipal system.
August 12th, 2013 at 9:56 am
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