California's Controversial Plastic Bag Ban

California is currently considering a plastic bag ban that would hopefully decrease much of the plastic waste in the Golden State.

Senate Bill 270 would ban the use of single use plastic bags at grocery stores, pharmacies and any convenience store with a liquor license issued by the state. All other businesses in the state would still be able to offer plastic bags to customers.

Supporters of the bill say that it would help to reduce the more than 14 billion single use bags utilized every year in California, but many say it's not far enough. Many say that the effects would be greatly limited because only a fraction of the bag waste is produced by the types of retailers affected. For example, 53,000 tons of plastic waste comes from bags distributed by restaurants in the state every year, and restaurants wouldn't be affected by the regulation.

So what do you think? Is even a small reduction in plastic bag waste a good thing, or should California scrap the bill and come up with one that would do more?

Los Angeles Bans Plastic Bags

In early January, the Los Angeles plastic bag ban went into effect. Although the law that made the plastic bags illegal at Los Angeles retailers was passed last June, many residents were unaware and surprised when they headed to their local stores.

Under the new law, plastic bags cannot be used in grocery stores. Supermarkets can offer paper bags, but at a cost of $.10 per bag. The goal is to get people to use reusable bags and reduce litter and waste in the Los Angeles area. Big box stores are not required to eliminate plastic bags as a part of the new rules.

If you're in the Los Angeles area and have found yourself plastic bag-less, check out our collection of plastic bag alternatives. Our Chico bags are meant for grocery shopping and are made from environmentally friendly recycled plastic fabric.

      Chico Bag rePETe, Hemp & Mesh Reusable Produce Bags - Set of 3

                               Chico Bag Hobo RePETe in Turkish Blue

A Paperless Kitchen Review of the ChicoBag Produce Stand Starter Set

As a follow-up to my review of the ChicoBag Original Boysenberry Bag, I did a test of the ChicoBag Produce Stand Starter Set. These bags are designed to be used at the grocery store in place of the throwaway plastic bags in the produce section, but you can easily take them to a farmer's market or with you for other kinds of shopping.

Here's a rundown on my impressions of the set:

- The Produce Stand Hemp Cotton Bag is the one designed for bulk foods that don't need to breathe as much as other types of produce. The company recommends that you use it for nuts, grains and the like. The hemp is very soft, and it held up well to washing. It's easy to close and you can fill it very full because the fabric has some give.

- The Produce Stand Mesh Bag is the piece in the trio for more perishable produce. The bag lets air circulate, so it's good for apples, potatoes, oranges and similar foods. This one doesn't have as much give, but it's plenty big, so it's possible to get a large load of produce at once.

- The Produce Stand rePETe Bag locks in air and moisture, and it's design for broccoli, squash, carrots and similar vegetables. For some reason, this one was the easiest for me to close, and I also think it looked the best when it came out of the washing machine.

- The Apple Holder - The idea behind the apple holder is cute. You can roll up the bags and then put them inside and attach the holder to a bag with the included carabiner. The concept is great, but I had a hard time putting it into practice. I could fit two bags in easily, but the third one was a tight fit. I was worried they were going to fall out. In the end, I decided to just put the apple and the bags inside of the pouch for the ChicoBag Hobo. Problem solved!

In conclusion, the problem with the Apple Holder didn't limit my ability to benefit from the Produce Starter Set. Despite this small shortcoming, I would definitely recommend the bags. You can also purchase three-packs of each bag in the set if you'd prefer to stock up on one particular kind.

A Paperless Kitchen Review of the ChicoBag Boysenberry Hobo Bag

We recently added the ChicoBag collection to Paperless Kitchen, and I picked up a couple of samples to take for a test drive. I decided to try out the Hobo ChicoBag in Boysenberry for my first test. The bag is folded up in its pouch when it arrives, so I unfolded it and took a look. It was pretty wrinkled, of course, but I could tell it really had a lot of space inside.

I folded it back up into the pouch very easily and took it with me to the grocery store. The pouch was a little bulky, but I was able to fit it easily into my purse. When it came time to check out, I unfolded my ChicoBag while I waited in line.

The guy who was bagging groceries oggled by bag, and I told him I wanted to see how much would fit inside. He obliged me, and we loaded it up. You can see from the photograph how much the bag held. I ended up with one plastic shopping bag and one ChicoBag and headed home.

Needless to say, the ChicoBag was much easier to carry and more comfortable. I didn't have the worry about the bag breaking like I had with its plastic counterpart. My favorite part about the bag is the magnetic closure pocket. Unlike other magnetic bags I've tried in the past, it actually seals the bag very tightly.

The ChicoBag is definitely something I'll use again when I shop. To completely be bag free, I'll need to buy two, which will carry the equivalent of a full shopping basket.

Paperless Kitchen Now Offers ChicoBags

We're pleased to announce the addition of a new brand to our product lineup--ChicoBags. Named after the location of their factory in Chico, California, the ChicoBag brand is committed to offering alternatives to all types of plastic bags, including sandwich bags, shopping bags and single-use produce bags. The company manufactures products out of PET, a fabric fashioned out of recycled plastic. Natural fibers, including hemp and cotton, are used in some designs.  

We are currently featuring three ChicoBags products in our collection:

- Chico Bag Snack Time Recycled PET Baggies Snack and Sandwich Reusable Bags - These snack bags adjust for toting snacks and sandwiches of various sizes. They come in a convenient three pack.

- Chico Bag rePETe, Hemp & Mesh Reusable Produce Bags with Pouch - Each of these three eco-friendly, reusable bags is designed for a different type of product. All three roll up and fit inside an apple carrying case.

- Chico Bag Hobo rePETe - This bag lets you say no to paper and plastic at the grocery store. It has two small storage pockets and a larger inner compartment and is worn over the shoulder. You can fold it up into the inner pocket for keeping it inside of your purse until you're ready to check out. We're offering the bag in two colors.

Be sure to keep checking back, as we're going to feature reviews of these products in the coming days.