lately, much has been made of the much maligned plastic bag ... and rightfully so.
for too long, humans have been astonishingly cavalier with the earth's resources (present company included). although i'm no al gore (and he's not john f. kennedy!), i suppose it's typical to think of these issues as one ages (rapidly!). it may be an inconvenient truth, but non-reused pvc totes are choking our landfills and depleting the earth.
yes. i could stop flying (almost welcome). trade in the suburban for a schwinn. turn down the heat, compost, unplug the computer. but today, i'm saying goodbye to the plastic bags at fairway, my most frequent haunt.
firstly, i kind of hate the look and feel of those bags to begin with. i'm paper over plastic any day (briefs over boxers too), and fairway doesn't give me that choice anyhow. i'm forever tying and untying handles little handles, a truly despicable task. so now, i'm free. i already am armed with my multitude of ikea sacs, which are now neatly folded and piled up in the car, ready to receive parmigiana reggiano, kenyan coffee, fresh yeast, cilantro, and salmon for homemade gravlax.
and what a success it has been! i did get a few stares, even gasps, when i offered up my bags to the cashier. but then again, i filled three of those huge suckers, instead of taking ten or twelve little bags. easy to carry, easy to unload, easy on the environment!
we have good examples to follow. as noted in the weekend new york times, instituted governmental programs limiting these menaces have been successful. ireland is now almost completely free of the nuisance. in rwanda, they are verboten (in december i bought a pair of shoes in the market and the vendor wrapped them in a plastic bag - when i objected and insisted on paper, he gave me a knowing look). and the momentum is growing ...
this may all seem so tiresome to you ... and too little too late ... and incredibly self-evident. but please do give it a try! it's only day one for me - i'm a convert!
for too long, humans have been astonishingly cavalier with the earth's resources (present company included). although i'm no al gore (and he's not john f. kennedy!), i suppose it's typical to think of these issues as one ages (rapidly!). it may be an inconvenient truth, but non-reused pvc totes are choking our landfills and depleting the earth.
yes. i could stop flying (almost welcome). trade in the suburban for a schwinn. turn down the heat, compost, unplug the computer. but today, i'm saying goodbye to the plastic bags at fairway, my most frequent haunt.
firstly, i kind of hate the look and feel of those bags to begin with. i'm paper over plastic any day (briefs over boxers too), and fairway doesn't give me that choice anyhow. i'm forever tying and untying handles little handles, a truly despicable task. so now, i'm free. i already am armed with my multitude of ikea sacs, which are now neatly folded and piled up in the car, ready to receive parmigiana reggiano, kenyan coffee, fresh yeast, cilantro, and salmon for homemade gravlax.
and what a success it has been! i did get a few stares, even gasps, when i offered up my bags to the cashier. but then again, i filled three of those huge suckers, instead of taking ten or twelve little bags. easy to carry, easy to unload, easy on the environment!
we have good examples to follow. as noted in the weekend new york times, instituted governmental programs limiting these menaces have been successful. ireland is now almost completely free of the nuisance. in rwanda, they are verboten (in december i bought a pair of shoes in the market and the vendor wrapped them in a plastic bag - when i objected and insisted on paper, he gave me a knowing look). and the momentum is growing ...
this may all seem so tiresome to you ... and too little too late ... and incredibly self-evident. but please do give it a try! it's only day one for me - i'm a convert!
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