ConservingNow Community Change

This morning I stumbled across this blog post (http://www.vickiesmichigangarden.com/2009/11/life-without-plastic-grocer...) and it really got me thinking.  How did it get this bad?  Plastic bags are everywhere.  I'm not just talking abut the bags we get from retailers and grocery stores - I am also talking about bags for packing lunches; bags for packaging produce in the stores; bags for dog poop; bags for cat litter; bags from TSA at the airport; etc.  Even in the places where it would seem no one would stand for plastic bag use - they are there.  Take for instance your local farmer's market.  How many people are using plastic bags for their produce while taking advantage of the benefits of local, organic and sustainable living?  There is an endless stream of plastic bags in our lives, and it seems that while it is daunting to try and tackle plastic bags as we shop - it is an unbelievable goal to attempt to rid our daily lives of all plastic bags.  Somehow in the last 20-30 years, our dependence on such "convenience" items has developed into an addiction.  To live any other way seems unthinkable. 

And yet, people are trying - which brings me back to Vickie's post.  She's trying and its hard work.  Stopping using plastic bags requires total dedication to not using them, because, frankly, they are everywhere and are incredibly easy to use.  In our house we have gone cold turkey on all plastic bags.  We don't use them at stores either for purchases or produce.  (Which, by the way, always gets an "unclean" look from someone in line to see tomatoes loose rolling across the belt - but think for a moment, do you think those tomatoes were washed and cleaned after being picked from the field?  When they were loaded on the truck?  As they were unpacked and shelved at the grocery store?  Hardly.)  We don't use them at home - leftovers, half an onion, e.g., are all placed in glass containers in the refridgerator.  But see the pattern?  Its work.  Conscious effort and work.  Sometimes our fridge seems really crowded, as the dishes aren't as compact and convenient as placing the half an onion in a plastic bag, but we keep trying.  Its worth it. 

And here's the truth.  Its rare, but sometimes we cave in and use a sandwich bag.  But that's okay.  Its okay because of all the effort we are dedicating to our bag-free life.  And its okay if you slip up too.  Remember the phrase - its better to try and fail on occasion, than not to try at all.  

Try going plastic bag free today.  Or try to eliminate one form of plastic bag from your life.  Say, stop putting produce in plastic bags either at home or in the stores.  Then when that has become second nature in your family, try to eliminate another use of plastic bags in your life.  In the end you'll wonder what all the fuss and difficulty was about - as your new life is EASILY plastic bag free.  And who doesn't feel good about that.