Thursday, August 23, 2007

A Little Freedom Is A Dangerous Thing

Is anyone out there sufficiently compulsive enough to save, rewash, and reuse plastic ziplock baggies?

If so, do you happen to have any sort of brilliant advice on the most efficient way to dry them?

Since school started, I find myself making three packed lunches everyday, and my conscience (not to mention my wallet) just can't tolerate tossing all that perfectly evil plastic into the garbage day after day. I've been washing them, but I have no idea how to get the insides dry enough to reuse them the following day.

Mister talks longingly of the days when we didn't have half a dozen baggies hanging off every cupboard door in the kitchen, and it's only the fourth day of school. Please, help me to help him stop whining.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh my God. You know my secret shame.

I usually smush a towel around on the inside, or turn the bag inside out and then towel it off a bit, and/or prop the bags (opened and upside down) over a glass or something in the dish drainer. Apparently there are drainers with dowel-like appendages perfect for this sort of purpose. (I don't have one, nor will I get one, because while I may be crazy, I'm not THAT crazy... right? RIGHT??)

Anonymous said...

My grandma would love this entry! The woman can get three cups of tea out of one tea bag! Lordy! Of course, I used to groan and roll my eyes at the plastic bag re-washing but now that I'm doing the budget, etc for my family, I keep wondering how many uses I can get out of a bag! LOL!!

Anywho, if you have a baby bottle drying rack, they work perfectly! If not, get a cheap one and use it! Great for small and large bags and it collects the water spillage in the bottom instead of on your counter....

So, SSSHHHH the secret is between us. Who knows, maybe we can re-invent the bottle dryer as a baggie dryer and make a million???!!! Eh, partner????!!!!

Anonymous said...

well, truth be told I'm actually too cheap to regularly use Ziploc bags so I go with the eminently re-usable Gladware containers, or aluminum foil, or CLINGfuckingFILM (which I assume is the same thing as Saran Wrap or the like), depending on the item.

But hey, at least I don't clip coupons. Gotta draw the line somewhere.

Anonymous said...

Oh ladies, PA...AAA.LLLEEZE!
In all the school years I carried a sack lunch (at least 4 decades ago), I NEVER tainted the world with a single plastic bag! One square of waxed paper for a sandwich. Nice and disposable, as well as biodegradable (although the word wasn't even in existence then!)

We also had these little open waxed paper bags, kind of like the ones you get fries in at Astro Burger.

It's not because of people like me, that you girls are having this discussion.

P.S. dry them with a hairdryer.

Anonymous said...

Dearest Jamie:

I do love this blog.

Yes, I'm also compulsive enough to wash/ reuse Ziploc bags.

You wash them the normal way and put them upside down to dry them. You can put a glass inside so that the bag doesn't fall and stays open.

How's that? I hope it helps!

Beso,

Claudia

Anonymous said...

Jamie:

A small follow-up...

I know I'm a bit rusty when it comes to Norway, but don't they have Tupperware over there?

Claudita