[snarf21]

It is also possible to create bags that are useful for more than just groceries. Part of it is also the mental shift away from disposable.

There is also the the possibility of shared bags but the germ/dirt issue would exist and then adding the cleaning of shared bags may be energy worse. We used to have shared glass bottles for milk that had to be cleaned and sterilized after each use not to mention transporting all the weight of empty bottles back to the dairy.

I think it also depends on what we are solving for. Is it lower carbon footprint or keeping plastic out of our waterways? More quickly bio-degradable plastics may be best for one but not the other.