Light and disposable and relatively cheap, they used to be a convenience. But plastic shopping bags now carry a bad rap.

They litter the neighborhoods and clog storm drains and sewers. In a word, plastic bags are a mess, and it’s time retailers and consumers toss them aside.

The more than 380 billion single-use, carry-out plastic shopping bags that Americans use each year—about 600 bags per person, or almost two per day—are inexpensive to manufacture and have some useful qualities, but they’re also a waste of natural resources and require precious taxpayer dollars to clean up and recycle.

Plastic bags can be recycled in numerous ways, mainly by returning them to the collection bin at the grocery store where they came from or to any other appropriate recycling station. Theoretically, plastic bags can be melted, remanufactured and used time and time again, but unfortunately only about 12 percent of the bags are properly recycled, and many wind up flopping around our streets and sidewalks like unwanted little ghosts or floating in the ocean like inert jellyfish.

Paper bags aren’t the answer either. According to industry sources, it takes about 70 percent less energy to manufacture a plastic grocery bag than a paper bag and 90 percent less energy to recycle a pound of plastic than a pound of paper. Paper bags are made from trees and disposable bags come from fossil fuels. Neither is a good solution.

The fact is, we should reduce our consumption of both plastic and paper and turn instead to the reusable bag. Tote bags made from renewable materials are gaining popularity and can be filled with groceries and other items over and over. Invest in a few now, keep them in the trunk of your car, and the environment will forever be thankful.

No matter what city you live in, start kicking the plastic bag habit. With recent trends in state and local legislation, you’ll soon have no choice.