5 Ways To Reduce The Use Of Plastic Bags

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Reducing plastic bag use is one of the simplest and most impactful first steps toward cutting down your plastic waste.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through 5 practical and creative ways to reduce your use of plastic bags, share helpful tips from my own experience, and answer common questions about biodegradable bags, paper vs. plastic, and more.

Here are 5 practical ways to reduce the use of plastic bags:

1. Use reusable bags when shopping
2. Reuse old plastic bags
3. Reuse a box from the shop 
4. Re-purpose plastic bags
5. Support plastic ban legislations & petitions

Let’s look at each idea more in-depth!

1. Use reusable bags when shopping

Start by using what you already have – whether it’s a tote bag, paper bag, backpack, or even an old plastic one.

If you don’t have any reusable bags, check secondhand stores or consider supporting small makers who create eco-friendly bags. One of my favorite options: upcycled denim tote bags made by my awesome grandma (you can find similar ones on Etsy).

Also, swap those single-use plastic produce bags for reusable veggie bags. Many grocery stores now offer them near the produce section, or you can get them online for just a few bucks.

💡 Tips to remember your reusable bags

• Hang a tote by your front door
• Get a foldable bag that clips onto your keychain
• Keep extras in your car
• Place something essential (like your wallet or phone) in your bag
• Write “BRING BAGS” at the top of your grocery list
• Always carry a few – just in case

2. Reuse old plastic bags

If you already have a stash of plastic bags, the most eco-conscious thing to do is reuse them as many times as possible. Use them again for groceries, errands, storage, or even travel.

Once they wear out, look for plastic bag recycling bins – often found at major supermarkets. If that’s not available in your area, try searching online or asking in local Facebook or zero-waste groups.

3. Use a box from the shop

This is a handy trick for the times you forget your reusable bag.

Shops receive stock in cardboard boxes, and many leave them in the aisles, especially near produce. If you don’t see any, just ask a staff member. I’ve done this many times and always found one quickly.

Using a box is a great zero-waste solution and gives packaging a second life before recycling.

4. Repurpose plastic bags

Can’t avoid using a plastic bag? Make sure it doesn’t go to waste.

You can:

• Use it as a bin liner or for picking up pet waste
• Cut and iron several together (using baking paper) to DIY a durable tote. I got this idea from Precious Plastic on YouTube – it’s super simple and surprisingly strong.

Make a durable tote bag from shitty plastic bags #preciousplastic

5. Support plastic bag bans & petitions

Individual action matters – but so does policy. And while bans aren’t perfect, they still work.

In 2014, California became the first U.S. state to ban single-use plastic bags. As of 2024, 12 U.S. states and over 120 countries have adopted some kind of legislation to reduce plastic bag use.

You can help by supporting local and global campaigns like:

• The Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act of 2021
• Ban the bag | Surfrider Foundation Europe
• End Plastic Pollution – Earth Day
• Petition to End The Plastic Disaster
• Plastic bag bans petitions on Change.org

Do a quick search to find what’s active in your region – and add your voice.

5 (not that) fun facts about plastic bags:

• Worldwide, more than 500 billion plastic bags are used yearly (nearly 1 million bags per minute). (1) 
• A plastic bag can take up to 1000 years to photo-degrade in a landfill. 
• Plastic bags don’t break down completely – they become microplastics that leach toxins, harmful to you, the wildlife, and the environment. (1)
• Plastic bags are among the 10 most common waste found in coastal clean-ups.
• Each year, thousands of seabirds, sea turtles, seals, and other marine animals die because of plastic entanglement or plastic ingestion. (1)

FAQ:

Why should we reduce the use of plastic bags?

Because we’re wasting massive resources to make something we use for just a few minutes. Most plastic bags are never recycled and take hundreds of years to degrade, turning into microplastics that harm wildlife, ecosystems, and potentially even us.

Read: Why Should We Reduce The Use Of Plastic

Are biodegradable plastic bags better? 

Not really. “Biodegradable” plastic bags often require very specific conditions to break down, like high heat and humidity, rarely found in landfills.

Many are made from petroleum-based plastic, just with additives to help them break down faster. If they end up in landfills (or worse, the ocean), they often behave like regular plastic. Also, the infrastructure to properly compost them is lacking in most places.

Bottom line: a single-use product, even if “biodegradable,” still isn’t sustainable.

Read: What is a biodegradable plastic made of?

Paper bags vs. plastic bags – which one is better?

Not necessarily. While paper bags can be composted or recycled, they:

• Take more energy and water to produce
• Emit more greenhouse gases
• Don’t always decompose properly in landfills (where they lack oxygen)

If a paper bag ends up buried in a landfill, it may decompose anaerobically, producing methane, a potent greenhouse gas.

Best option: reuse what you already have – whether plastic, paper, or cloth, and dispose of it responsibly.

Which bag should you use? - Luka Seamus Wright and Imogen Ellen Napper

Final thoughts

Reducing plastic bag use isn’t about perfection, but about progress. Every bag refused, reused, or replaced with a better alternative adds up.

Whether it’s carrying your own tote, grabbing a store box, or simply going without, small daily actions matter.

Have any favorite tips of your own? Share them in the comments! 💚