A-Zero Bags | $29+ | Indiegogo
If there’s one thing I’ve learned playing Final Fantasy VII, it’s that Shinra is destroying the planet and we have to do whatever it takes to stop them. That includes making the switch to bio-compostable bags. To spite those corporate bastards, I’m testing out an early sample of A-Zero Bags, the self-proclaimed “eco-friendly replacement for plastic bags.”
After the plastic bag ban kicked off in New York earlier this year, city residents like myself have started turning our heads to alternatives. The A-Zero Bags in particular are made from vegetable starch. As a result, compared to the 300 years ordinary plastic bags take to degrade, these bags dissolve into organics after just 18 months. And if you’re thinking that makes them any less durable, think again. Rated for 15 uses, the A-Zero Bags are built to last.
While I haven’t tested the grocery bags I was sent for actually getting groceries, I’ve had one sitting in my compost bin for about a week now. Just checked on it, and to be honest it’s a little leaky, but not to worry! It hasn’t dissolved, nor are there any visible signs of damage. It’s possible we threw some leaky eggshells in there. So they may not be the most resistant to liquids; however, they can hold A LOT of weight—up to 18 pounds to be exact.
Each bag features a whimsical design, with environmentally conscious taglines ranging form “i STAND WiTH NATURE” to “I AM COMPOSTABLE” as if to metaphorically shout from your Williamsburg rooftop, “HELLO, IT IS ME, YOUR ECO-FRIENDLY NEIGHBOR WHO COMPOSTS!” Or, you know, just so your grocery clerk doesn’t think you’re an asshole who brought their own plastic bag amid the very real concerns that led to the ban to begin with.
As for the brains behind the operation, A-Zero Bags came together from a team of artists, designers, and engineers around the world, all passionate about their environmental goals, to combat global plastic pollution. You can back their Indiegogo campaign starting at the $29 level, which nets you any three rolls from their five-product selection. Whether you need zip bags, grocery bags, shopping bags, or trash bags, A-Zero’s got you covered.