They are easily available and can be seen in all homes and offices. They hold your garbage together so that you can dispose it of later. But did you know that a garbage bag can solve many other purposes as well? In fact, when it comes to survival, garbage bags are among the most important tools that you can have. Let’s see these top 12 survival tips using garbage bags uses:
1. Poncho: When you’re out in the wild and it starts raining, your garbage bag will come to the rescue. Cut a hole in the bag for your head, and two on the sides for arms (if you want), and your own homemade poncho is ready. It will keep you warm and dry in wet weather.
2. Emergency life jacket: Tie the closed ends of the garbage bag together, and blow air in it to inflate. Now close the open ends and tape them tightly so that the air does not escape. Now tape this inflated bag to your body to stay afloat.
3. Pillow: Inflate the garbage bag and you will have a pillow to rest your head when you are camping outdoors.
4. Water Container: You can store water in the garbage bag. However, make sure you don’t try to store too much water in one bag, or the bag will tear.
5. Duvet: The polyethylene of the garbage bag will not let the cold wind pass through and you can sleep peacefully inside. Slide in the can liner like a sleeping bag. But before you sleep in it, make sure that the liner isn’t moist from the inside.
6. Rope: A garbage bag can be twisted to form a strong (but short) rope. The bigger the bag, the longer will the rope.
7. Food container: Don’t want to attract bears while camping? Store all your food in a garbage bag (to hide the odours) and hang it on a branch away from your sleeping place.
9. Signalling: Hang brightly coloured garbage bags or wear them to help the search teams find you. You can also use the garbage bag as a flag to direct the teams towards you.
10. Shelter: A big drum liner can be used with a rope to make a working tent. Just tie a rope from one end to the other, and let it run through the length of the bag. Now you can sleep in it, and it will act like a tent.
11. Warm shower: If you want to take a shower, but the water is too cold, just store it in a bag and hang it on a branch. After some time, it will get warm (especially in a black bag). Poke a hole in the bag and enjoy a warm shower.
12. Fish trap: It’s not the best way to catch fish, but it will work much better than trying to catch them with bare hands.
There are not many tools that can be as useful as a garbage bag, so the next time you go camping or trekking, make sure you will use these top 12 survival tips using garbage bags to make your trip easier.