The best reusable shopping bags

The increasing amount of plastic waste is slowly killing our oceans.

As surfers and citizens, we are part of the environment, so it's in our hands to help fight this calamity.

Simple actions like replacing single-use bags with the reusable kind can have a bigger impact than you think.

In the face of large-scale events, small actions taken by many usually result in a more effective impact. If every person does their small part, it's a game-changer.

When we talk about ocean pollution, we are mainly speaking of waste - lots and lots of non-biodegradable plastic waste.

Plastic is everywhere, and when you start recycling, it becomes more evident: the plastic disposer is usually the first to get full.

The food industry strongly contributes to this situation by wrapping every single product - including fresh foods - in plastic packaging.

And what do you use to take home your plastic-packed goods? Plastic or paper single-use bags.

Plastic bags heavily add to the problem, as they take between 10 and 1,000 years to decompose.

Paper bags, on the other hand, contribute to deforestation, except when they are made of 100 percent recycled paper.

Light, Washable, Durable, Heavy Duty, and Eco-Friendly Grocery Bags

The most environmentally friendly option is to replace single-use bags with reusable ones to ensure the largest possible lifespan of the bag, and therefore drastically reduce the amount of waste you produce by disposing of them with each use.

Yes, reusable bags often contain plastic or, in other cases, imply the exploitation of other resources like water, as it happens with organic cotton.

However, if you use one of them multiple times and for an extended period, you will naturally produce less waste and exhaust fewer resources.

Another advantage of these bags is that they quickly become multi-purpose, as you can use them to transport virtually anything else.

You'll use them to carry an extra set of flat shoes on your purse, clean clothes from the laundry, your wet rashguard, etc.

Polyester containers are more pollutant but sturdier, more impermeable, and easier to clean.

Organic cotton carriers are eco-friendly, versatile, and easy to store, carry, and wash. Mesh bags, in particular, are perfect for grocery shopping.

There are endless options, from simple blank canvases to more fashionable or artistic looks. You can even personalize your bag to remind yourself of how every simple step counts.

We collected a comprehensive list of the best reusable shopping bags to get you started. They're inexpensive, foldable, and light.

Choose your favorite, go to your local market, and start your silent revolution. The ocean thanks you.