Week 2 - BYOBags!!!!

Earlier this week I received my order of reusable shopping bags and I've already road tested them! They are terrific! They are made of non woven polypropylene, shaped like a box with handles, very roomy (they easily hold more than a regular plastic grocery bag, more like a paper grocery bag), very sturdy (especially because they come with an insert for the bottom) and they cost about $1.25 each. What's not to like? I know what's not to like - these bags draw attention!! I can't tell you how many looks I was getting because I had these bags! I tend to be pretty private, so that was a little tough. But instead of putting on my "what are YOU lookin' at" face, I should wear my "hey ask me where I got these bags" face. I have to work on that!

I checked out a number of reusable bags. Canvass and string bags are great options, but their price tag is a little crazy, at least for me. When I go grocery shopping, I generally have at least 10 -12 bags. Am I really going to pay around $6 - $8 for one bag? NO!!!! So I was thrilled when I found the website earthwisebags.com. You click on "store" and you can purchase the bags in quantities of 10, 20, 50 or 200. The shipping is a little pricey at $7.77, but it's the same if you purchase 10 or 20 bags, so order 20 and have someone split the shipping cost with you. I should add these bags are not just reusable, they are also 100% recyclable, hypoallergenic, odorless, non-toxic, washable and water repellent!

I know some of you are thinking "reusable bags, ugh!", but check out these stats. Americans throw away about 100 billion plastic grocery bags a year! That's a lot of petroleum that's being used to produce them and how about the space they take up in the landfills since only about 1 - 3% of plastic bags are recycled. Oh, and if you're thinking "I'll just use paper" - that's not any better. Americans consume about 10 billion paper bags annually and it has been found that the manufacture of plastic bags produce considerably less air pollution, water borne wastes, and industrial solid-waste than the manufacture of paper. So environmentally speaking, paper or plastic is a toss up. They both use a lot of natural resources, pollute the air, can be harmful to wildlife and neither are effectively recycled. The best option is to bring your own reusable bags when you go shopping. Leave them in the car and you will always be prepared, whether at the market or the mall. Just remember, work on your "face"!