One Simple Thing

One thing at a time. (One bag at a time.) If you don't already bring your own bags to the grocery store (and to IKEA now, too!) now is the time to start. I know, I know, it's hard to remember to bring the bag in, and sometimes you feel like a big nerd, but the tide is turning on this one, and soon the people who don't bring their own bags to the store will be the big nerds. Grocery stores should be selling reusable bags like crazy-- they've been giving something away for free for years that they now can get people to pay for-- where's the downside in that? There was a great quote in the Seattle newspaper about this, that basically "paper or plastic" will become a quaint phrase from the past, like "smoking or non-smoking". I like the sound of that.

I did a little research online and did find some bags that are not only made of recycled materials but are fully recyclable themselves, thus eliminating the environmental hazards associated with the production of the bag itself. (Their site is not very good.) These "corn plastic" bags are new and will be available in May. I have requested information from the company and might try to purchase a quantity. Let me know if you are interested in getting a few.

If you've been avoiding getting reusable bags because they are so ugly and style-less, you have no more excuses. Etsy offers a huge range of cute shopping totes made by artists. The one above is cute, washable and even better, it's made from reclaimed vintage fabric. These cooooool bags, and these (the orange photo at top) are made from recycled rice bags in southeast Asia, and sales benefit an organization that helps children who have been victims of the brothel trade there. You can't get much more pc than that, unless you want to drive your solar-powered car there to pick the bag up yourself and track your progress on a website that solicits per mile donations to eliminate waste-producing shrimp farms.

I realize that I may be preaching to the converted here. You probably already take your own bags to the store. What about buying one at the store for the person behind you in line? What about giving them as gifts?

If you are a take-out coffee drinker and a dog-walker, and you just can't do without those little plastic bags, save your used, rinsed paper coffee cups with lids and use those instead. They scoop nicer and look less like, well, bags of poop. Just don't forget what you are carrying.