Yeah, that's my current method as well. I just got some reusable produce bags with holes to allow for ventilation. so I'm giving that a shot. You may be able to get away with just using big towels and wrapping the greens so that nothing sticks out.

I thought you were not supposed to wash produce until you were ready to use it? Is this right (real question). I use glass bowl + cloth napkin/dishcloth, but I still buy ziploc bags and use them. I haven't used/bought paper towels or plastic wraps in years, but ziploc bags are a major weakness - I wish I could quit you!

Here's my waste-free method for greens:
-buy a head of lettuce naked and bring it home in a reusable shopping bag
-wash and chop it as soon as I get home
-load it into a big pyrex bowl with lid
-put a clean, lint-free kitchen towel on top
-store in the fridge UPSIDE DOWN (where the towel will absorb any runoff...the damp towel then keeps things crisp)
-switch out the towel if it gets too wet (rarely)

Greens usually don't linger more than a week in our house, so I don't know if this would keep them longer than that, but it definitely keeps them crisp and contained that long. For herbs, I rinse and store in a small container lined with a towel on bottom

We usually keep it in big tupperwares with fenugreen, which is this incredible miracle invention thing that keeps veggies fresh for absurdly long periods. Like, those salad greens I can never get more than a week out of? 2 weeks! I never buy these gimmicky products, but this one actually works, and the story behind it is neat.

Good luck!

and by "it", I mean produce. Grammer is apparently not my strong suit. Or I was just overwhelmed by enthusiasm to share Fenugreen?

I use a tip I read in Everyday Food: wash it and store it in your fridge in your salad spinner...my greens have never lasted longer using any other method (over a week longer!).

The downside is the salad spinner takes up a lot of fridge space; I've considered buying the smaller version of my OXO salad spinner for this reason.

I still use plastic bags for storing greens and such (like you, it's about the only place I still do use plastic) - I just use and reuse and reuse. If you're just storing greens, the bags should still be pretty clean, and if not, you can turn them inside out, wash them, let them air dry and use again. When you finally get to the point where you can't use them anymore, they CAN be recycled - you can put them in the plastic grocery bag recycling bin at your grocery store. Until I find another method that is as easy, works as well and takes up as little space in my fridge, I'll keep doing this.

I usually store my salad greens in my spinner- I spin the water out, drain it from the bottom then leave the greens in the basket with the lid on. My only problem is that my spinner takes up a lot of room. My husband hates that but it's the only thing I've found that keeps them fresh longer than a couple of days. I've tried the plastic bag with a towel but all I end up with is limp leaves. I've tried the glass bowls and had some success but again, the space issue comes up (usually after the hub has tried to reach for something and knocked the bowl out of the fridge- I need a bigger fridge!). I finally just started buying my greens on the day I'm going to have salad and trying not to have any leftovers. Time consuming but I don't feel like I'm wasting money throwing limp leaves on the compost pile.

I have the same issue! I bought some simple reusable mesh produce bags (which would be incredibly easy to DIY with some fine mesh fabric), but they are a terrible option for greens of any sort.

The only solution I've come up with is to wrap more delicate greens or herbs in a paper towel and then a used piece of newsprint - I used to work at a Vietnamese restaurant where they used copious amounts of cilantro and Thai basil, and that was how they managed to keep their herbs fresh. In terms of sustainability, it's really no better than plastic, since you're using paper towel, but at least you could buy paper towel that is biodegradable or chlorine-free if saving the whales is your schtick. Hope that helps!

I clicked on the persons link from above, http://www.fenugreen.com/ , and ended up buying some! It was $10 + $4 for shipping for 24 reusable sheets! It is organic & biodegradable... I would check this option out. Great backstory (inventor rediscovered old Indian remedy for keeping produce fresh while visiting her grandmother in India) and has lots of great testimonials and awards listed on website! I am excited to get them!

I haven't purchased plastic bags for years. Many food items come packaged in plastic bags which I save and reuse. My favorites are those from english muffins, many breads, and tortillas. These are thicker and I wash and reuse them many times over. My produce does very well in them. I feel good knowing I am contributing as little as possible to the plastic problem. I stick my herbs in a glass of water placed in the fridge and they last a good while.

I used to live in the far north in Canada, where the lettuce and other greens are already wilted and almost done before they even GET there.

This saved us:
http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Fresh-Vegetable-Keeper/dp/B003QP2WJ8http://www.amazon.com/Progressive-International-Fresh-Vegetable-Keeper/dp/B003QP2WJ8

That's the small version, we bought the larger one for our lettuce but have those for berries and peppers and such. We actually had wilty lettuce CRISP UP while using it. I CANNOT recommend this enough. Caveat: you still have to prep properly, and dry everything before storing. But we had lettuce last 3 weeks, after purchasing it mid-winter in the north.