Today, thousands of bloggers all over the world are talking about the environment as part of
Blog Action Day . There are so many directions, I could go here. I've decided to talk about doing something very small and easy that will have a large cumulative impact over time.
In August, I got my mom a set of tote bags to use for grocery shopping. I decided to invest in a set for myself, too. It took a few weeks to get the hang of remembering to bring the bags to the store. Now it's automatic to retrieve them from the pantry and head out to the store. There's only two of us in our house. I've found four totes are sufficient for our needs.
I also have two bags small drawstring bags designed for produce or grains. We could probably use a few more of those in the future. If I'm purchasing multiple items, say six apples or potatoes, I'll put them in one my reusable produce bags. Something I may buy only one of, like a bunch of lettuce or an eggplant, I'll simply put the item in the cart loose, have it weighed at the register and slip it into the produce sack with the apples when I'm bagging. I will also do this with two or three of the same item that are easy to handle like zucchini or peppers.
When I started using my own bags, I worried that the supermarkets would frown on the idea. So far, I haven't had one person give me a hard time. I've found one nice lady at my usual market that I will usually check out with if she's available. We'll chat a little during the transaction. I always bag my own groceries. I'm kind of particular about the bagging. Most checkout people aren't very good at it. It does take a few moments longer to pack the fabric bags but I find you can get a lot more into them. In four fabric bags, I'll fit what would fit in eight poorly packed plastic bags.
Taking it another step, we've also been walking to the store for our weekly shopping trip. We live very close to the supermarket. Driving virtually around the corner seems so wasteful. Now we leave with our four empty bags and return after a nice walk with our sacks full of goodies.
Shopping this way, makes us more conscious of what we actually need for
the week. I'm not over buying or wasting produce the way I have in the
past. I'm moving away from the idea of stocking up toward being more thoughtful about what we are actually going to consume. Believe me, my pantry is not bare. I firmly believe in having a full supply of staples on hand. I just replenish those things like rice, pasta and beans when we start to run low.
I have not used a plastic shopping or produce bag from the store in two months. For our consumption level that means about fifteen bags a week combining shopping and produce bags. That works out to be almost eight hundred bags a year!
To find the right shopping totes for your needs, I suggest shopping with Reusable Bags. They have a great selection. Your purchase comes with minimal packaging, no plastic wrapping or peanuts. I'm using the Acme dual handled lightweight hemp totes. They are not flimsy. The dual handle is great. The long handle is great to sling over your shoulder. It's nice to have the handle option. I also suggest the organic cotton produce bags. These are very reasonable priced and utilitarian. For some snazzier options, check out the modern tote options, too. Since you'll have less plastic bags laying around the house, you may also want to pick up a reusable lunch bag. Make sure you pick a lead-free option. I'm going to put one of those on my Christmas list.
For more ideas on how to make a positive change for the environment, visit the Resources page at the Blog Action Day website.
