Make your own recycled, reusable bag!
Need a bag to carry your library books, or to tote home your shopping? Here’s a way to turn an old t-shirt into a new bag, no sewing needed, during Plastic Free July.
Plastic is really useful stuff. It’s cheap to make, strong, flexible and it doesn’t break down easily. That makes it great for all kinds of uses. For example, a thin plastic bag is much lighter and cheaper to make than a paper bag, and it won’t get ruined if it gets wet.
There are also plenty of downsides. Plastic straws, bags and bottles are so cheap that we can throw them out after only using them once. That’s one reason for the huge amount of plastic rubbish we make every year. Each Australian makes an average of 101 kilograms of plastic waste per year, including 59 kilograms of single-use plastic waste.
If you want to produce less waste, the slogan ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ is a great guide. It’s ordered from best to worst. The best thing to do is avoid making rubbish! When you do have rubbish, you should try to find another use for it. And if you can’t find a new use, try to recycle it properly.
Your handmade bag reuses an old t-shirt. Plus, it can reduce the number of new plastic bags you’d get from the shops too. That’s the 2 most important steps!
It’s important to think about the next life for your new bag. When it’s no good for carrying things, maybe you could cut it up to make rags for cleaning windows. If it’s made of 100% cotton, you might be able to compost it, or even get it recycled at a fibre recycling company.
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