Plastic bags have gotten a bad reputation over the years. They are designed for durability and as such, can withstand their environment for many years before breaking down. So, instead of tossing them, put them to good use and wring as much use from them as you can! Here are some smart ways to make them a little less environmentally damaging by putting plastic bags to good use:
Get rid of pet waste
We all know it's important to clean up after your dog, and plastic bags are a simple and convenient solution for pet waste removal. They’re also great for holding dirty cat litter.
Line smaller trash cans
Standard plastic grocery bags are perfect liners for small trash cans, such as those in your bathroom or under your desk. Plus, they're free
Use them for shipping
If you are mailing fragile items, wadded-up plastic bags work just as well as bubble wrap when packing an object to be shipping. Tie a knot in each bag to make sure it keeps its shape and to ensure that the object is well protected.
Make plarn
Short for “plastic yarn,” this popular new crafting technique weaves strips of plastic together to make beautiful, durable, new products. What could be greener than that?
![By GorillaSushi from Aurora, IL, US (Gracious Bag) [CC-BY-SA-2.0], via Wikimedia Commons This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic License.](http://respage.com/cms/img/3916.jpg)













