apartment therapy changing the world, one room at a time

You know, I was literally just yesterday thinking about what to do about earth-friendly trashbags and wondering what was out there. You've read my mind-thank you!!! =)

Praise the LORD! I've been looking all over for these!!!

So, are you supposed to compost the contents as well? Because biodegradable trash bags won't biodegrade any time soon in a landfill- no water, no oxygen. I'm not really getting the point.

Thanks SO much for the tip! Absolutely FABULOUS! Off to add the link to my blog.

I have been using biodegradable pine cat litter for a couple of years now thinking I was doing a good thing by not using that chemically dusted clay litter that does not biodegrade. Then it dawned on me a few weeks ago that I have been tying it up in plastic bags, where it will remain for the next 1000 years. Doh! So I am glad to see that biodegradable "plastic" bags are available.

Same with me, krisnic! I've been agonizing over the guilt of using plastic bags, unable to figure out the logistics otherwise. Wrap it up tidily in used newspapers? We don't subscribe to a daily paper. Flush it down the toilet? That's been frowned upon as a bad idea despite the manufacturer's original suggestion. Store it in a bucket and dump out the bucket once a week? Yuck.

I can't wait to try these out!

the thin plastic bags you normally get at the grocery store are also biodegradable. the problem with all biodegradable bags is that they require sunlight to decompose and when they are mixed in a landfill they do not get the light exposure required to break them down.

I've got to wonder about everyone posting who is SO EXCITED about this product - how is this a great idea if it won't degrade in a landfill? Or are you all planning to compost your kitty poop bags? Or do you have a special deal with the waste management company and they take your trash to some site other than a landfill?
This just seems to be shopping to reduce the guilt - which, when you really really think about it is pretty ironic.

The Trellis Earth bags mentioned here are the true biodegradable alternative to toxic Styrofoam containers and polyethylene plastic bags. Styrofoam containers leach toxic benzene into any food or liquid it touches. Plastic bags pollute our land and kill wildlife. Both use petroleum as their primary ingredient and both can take decades (or longer) to break down. Why would you use either of these products if you had any choice in the matter? Now you do! I’m a Territory Sales Manager here at Trellis Earth Products, in Portland Oregon, and you can purchase these amazing products through our online store (www.TrellisEarthStore.com) offering these unique green corn products for not only just the commercial users but also for the occasional individual customers and households making our world alittle greener. But don't take our word for it; order one of our new Sample Packs. You'll be so amazed when you handle our products that you won't believe they're made from corn.

Not only do we supply these fantastic compostable bags that are mentioned here, but we have many other bioplastic biodegradable items as well. Check out all of our different cups, bowls, plates, trays, takeout boxes, and cutlery. Most of these fine products can be used safely in the microwave as well as go through your dishwasher several times…and still be rated as biodegradable, compostable and 100% safe. If you have any questions or need to get in contact with me about our products, just email me at toms@trellisearth.com. Welcome to a greener, cleaner future…

So I see mixed sentiments conveyed in the comments here. I had the thought today that biodegradeable trash bags would be great to have. I was happy to have found them and to know that I can buy them locally from a local company. Thanks TJ.
As I read through here and saw the comments from the folks stating that it was ridiculous to buy these since they would not break down in a landfill so it's a moot point. I thought to myself, "this is true they will not break down under those conditions, at least not for many many many years."
However I will still purchase and use these bags based on this reasoning, I am not putting petroleum based plastic bags into the earth and I am not supporting the evil petroleum industry in using them. My money will go to local sustainable companies and not GLAD. I will use these bags and my bags wont leach petroleum into the earth in which they are deposited.
So I say using these bags is a great idea and should be done. Nevermind the naysayers.
Cheers!

I use BioBags, which are available at Whole Foods and at Drugstore.com. Unfortunately, however, they're so good a biodegrading that they sometimes start to degrade before I take out the trash, which makes a big mess. Anybody know how these bags from Trellis compare?