Woke up on the cynical side this morning, did you? I love the one about sending them the jewels by mail and waiting for your check. I guess we are just too old to appreciate the wonder of that!

I scream at the idiot box everytime I see the "green" bag commercial. In what household would a pint of strawberrys need to last for 17 days??? Did you see them at the grocer before going on vacation at a killer price? I bet that lady is rolling in the green after selling dopes a plastic bag for $10.

The Debbie Meyer Green Bags are available at Wegman's in the produce section. Not sure of the price.

My shameful admission is that I was fascinated by the Kinoki footpads to the extent where I almost purchased them (you get a lifetime supply and just pay shipping and handling). I later saw a story in a paper or mag debunking the whole thing and explaining that they turn black and stink after a night of wearing them on your feet because of whatever it is that they have in them - not what you have in you. It saves money to have the trusty remote ready to change channels at the first sign of commercial interruption (except sometimes I forget what I was watching and never go back...)

The "green bags" have been around for years, and yes, they DO actually work. Keeps salad greens from going slimy so fast, keeps strawberries fresh, works great for tomatoes and apples. I will say I wasn't all that thrilled with the performance on bananas though.

I believe there is actually a tupperware-style container out there now with a similar "technology".

Reminds me of an old Dennis Miller bit where he was talking about classified ads -

"Learn how to avoid rip-offs! Send $5 to: ..."

You watch SportsCenter?

I hope not to get any news of Baltimore sports, because you pretty much never hear them speak of Baltimore sports.

Whether the bags work is unclear, according to this Wikipedia entry -- and I think I'm being charitable using the word "unclear" in this context.

Mrs. Bucky bought some of those green bags. I mocked her.

They work.

Our bananas stay yellow maybe, I don't know, three times as long? Longer, anyway. She says they keep vegetables longer too, but I never pay attention to the vegetables.

She turned me into a believer, and I don't usually buy into this kind of stuff.

Ancient Owl Meat secret:

Take a standard Zip-loc bag, fold it over twice, poketh holes in bag with a needle every centimeter. Now you have a magic bag that lets out the ethylene gas that spoils fruits and vegs. Works great. Please send $6.95 to The Owlgonquin Roundtable, 666 Ansonia Station

Well there you go. First you can sell off your gold and diamond jewelry, and then when you receive the cash you can purchase the amazing "Debbie Meyer Green Bags As Seen On TV". After all, they are good for 10 uses for each bag.
What a deal!
As P.T. Barnum said...

They actually do work, and work well, although the ones I bought were under the original brand name of Evert-Fresh. They don't work for all produce, and they work differently depending on the type. The short answer to how they work is that they absorb the ethylene gas emitted by produce as it decomposes.

Sometimes the appearance can be decieving -- bananas will last several days longer than they normally would, but past that, once they're overripe the outside appears yellow even though the inside is all mushy.

Nevertheless they do what they're advertised to do.

Also, an internet friend recommended them to me for the first time. I looked on the Evert-Fresh web site and saw an 800 number to call for stores in my area that carried them. I called, expecting to be dumped into a voice mail system ("{Please enter your zip code"). Instead I got a lady with a delightful Texas accent. I told her why I was calling, and she said "oh, I know I have that list around here somewhere (sound of papers being shuffled). Now where are you from darlin'?" I was sold on the company from that moment on.

People people people. There is no magic here.

No need to absorb ethylene (which is doubtful) if you can vent it. The produce is constantly creating it. Seriously, just take a bunch of the sturdy ziploc bags and create a lattice of needle holes one cm by one cm and the gas will vent. Also this will keep a proper humid environment but excess water vapor will also vent. Wash and reuse. They used to make them like this, but stopped. Do it yourself.

No magic. No magic.

Save your money for the Sham-WOW! (It's made in Germany. You know they make good stuff.)

Ms. Debbie, or someone like her, now has bread bags available. Same idea; keep bread longer. I overheard a clerk/customer exchange where the customer also said the fruit/veggie bags were wonderful. Haven't tried 'em myself.

That wise ol' Owl Meat nailed it again of course! The bags have little holes in 'em. It's just that simple.

Go to Ziploc.Com and take a look at the Ziploc Fresh Produce Bags with Moisture Vents. Same thing exactly; at a fifth the price.

GO OWL !

Am I missing something here? If it's just a matter of venting the ethylene, wouldn't it work better to leave the produce unbagged?

Gosseyn, this video explains why:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2IlHgbOWj4o

I recently got a new compost container and it came with some green plastic bags for lining the container. The idea is to make the stuff easier to transport to the compost pile, but it seems to have the added benefit of discouraging the tiny ants who are attracted by all the fruit peels this time of year. Yay!

Now, how long will it take to punch all the little holes in the same number of bags you get in a $9.95 box of green bags? I mean is just a bunch of random holes, or do the holes need to specifically spaced and numbered?

See, if it takes a decent amount of time to do all the poking, you may have an opportunity cost issue. Is it worth ten bucks not to have to punch a bunch of holes in bags.

And with this, finally we get this blog back to economics where it belongs.

RoCK,
There is an easier way to get the hol-ey bag you need, Florida-style.

Just tack it onto a board and use your 12-gauge, use bird-shot. Give yourself about 20 feet for the spread. Makes smaller holes.

This post is inspiring. Susan, I think I'll start a site where people can ship me their gold and diamonds, and I'll ship them green bags. More efficient.

RoCK asked: :Now, how long will it take to punch all the little holes in the same number of bags you get in a $9.95 box of green bags?"

You seem to be assuming you puncture them one hole in one bag at a time. You could stack some number of bags up and make one puncture in all at once, or, if you were going into mass production, devise a block with all the needles (or pins) you need for a bag and do them many at a time.

See, if it takes a decent amount of time to do all the poking, you may have an opportunity cost issue

1) You get the value of not feeling like a douche because you bought such dumb product
2) Ziploc Bags Food Storage Gallon - 40 Count $3.50
Debbie Meyer Green Bags - 9.95 for 20.
That's a 572% markup
3) How many times do I have to tell you kids - the fun is in the poking.

Don't buy these, because then you are one step away from getting the Sham-WOW and BIllie Mays will haunt your dreams.

Poketh while watching TV. Nobody needs for than 10. Just rinse them out when you're done and reuse. My secret of poking efficiency (for bags only): fold them in halves or thirds of quarters and one prick gets several layers. Oh my Grazy people, this isn't that hard.

Excuse me now, I must get out my Popeil pocket fisherman and retrieve a marble rye that my friend is bringing over.

I bet these only work if you keep the bags under a pyramid.