Increasingly, recycled trash bags are making their way into grocery stores, and for good reason. More energy is consumed and more pollutants are emitted by factories producing virgin-plastic items than by those of companies that make recycled-plastic bags, such as Seventh Generation, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Also, our petroleum resources are depleted more slowly. And while no plastic biodegrades, recycled bags get at least one more use before taking up space in a landfill. In Real Simple’s road test, only one recycled bag stood up well to real abuse (see above, right), but for lightweight rubbish, most recycled bags do the job — and earn you a few angel points. Even more ecofriendly is paper, which does biodegrade. Some curbside recycling programs now insist on recycled-paper lawn and leaf bags, like Home Depot’s freestanding one.

To Buy: Seventh Generation Drawstring Tall Kitchen Bags (13 gallons), $4 for 20; Seventh Generation Trash Bags (30 gallons), $4 for 20: both at www.drugstore.com. Home Depot Lawn and Garden Bags (30 gallons), $2 for 5, www.homedepot.com.