Reusies

I’ll admit it, I’m a baggie washer. I even have a special baggie drying rack. Because I just can’t bear to throw perfectly usable plastic into a landfill where it will sit for eternity. Sadly, even my baggies do end up there eventually. But if I can squeeze a few extra uses out of them, I will.

I’ve long looked at and coveted reusable snack bags. I just could never bring myself to invest the fifty or so dollars to build a small collection and overthrow the evil plastic.

At a toy store a few weeks back, though, I saw Reusies in all their cute-fabricked, environmentally-friendly glory. And, because it is oddly easier for me to make impulse purchases in person rather than online, I snatched up two sets (one large sandwich bag and one smaller snack bag, each).

And lo, those cotton-lined, BPA-, lead-, and phthalate-free nylon sacks have stayed in heavy rotation. Nothing gets soggy or stale. They wash well and dry quickly. The Velcro strips are placed ingeniously so you can loosely or tightly wrap your food. And, most importantly, the kids can open and close them without wailing in frustration over baggie flaps and misaligned zip seals. (I know, I sound like an informercial describing how difficult sandwich bags are, but it’s true.)

Plastic bags have their place in homes, certainly. I don’t think I’ll ever be able to totally do away with them and their ability to keep foods fresh. I would, however, like to reduce them in my life.

Reusies’ designs will weaken your knees and their functionality will amaze and delight you. Over time they’ll pay for themselves and you can pat yourself on the back for doing something to make the earth happier.