Perhaps eco-newb is a bit much. The gentleman in the story after all does sell locally grown produce. Those of us green minded folk, who are subconsciously drawn to exploring the unlimited resourceful ways of minimizing our contribution to pollution, are often times reminded just how gratifying our work of educating on sustainable ideals can be.

While running some errands today I happened upon a new (to me) produce market baring “locally grown” signage. I enthusiastically pulled in for a peek at the goodies. Long story short, I found some amazing prices on some delectable fruits and veggies.
I walked up carrying my own tote bag, of course. I made my selections and the older merchant man reached for the plastic bags and I said “well we can just throw ‘em in here if you like”, in my own polite little way. He nodded and proceeded to fill er’ up.

WalMart's Reusable Recycled Bag The bag I was using was the one you’ve been bypassing in the WalMart lines for a few months now. That black and green recycled/reusable number that you should certainly pick up if you happen to be a WalMart shopper. The reason I make mention of this particular bag is because of the small graphic on the bag’s side grabbed the merchant’s attention. He read it aloud and said ‘well I’ll be’. I explained my story on living green, 98% of which he was already aware of. And after agreeing on the BYOB ideology he said he would be sure and tell his customers from there on out about bringing their own bags.
I facetiously asked him if he received his produce in plastic bags. He obviously chuckled and replied with a big “no”. I am glad I could make a difference, no matter how small it may seem.

As for the well established green shopper, you are more than likely well equipped with hemp, bamboo, or even organic cotton bags. A quick search reveals Reusable Bags, a site containing facts concerning plastic bag devastation as well as how to get your hands on some toxin free baggage.

“estimated at well over 500,000,000,000 (that’s 500 billion) plastic bags annually, or almost 1 million per minute”

Most of the plastic bags you see are polyethylene, a petroleum based plastic.
“Over 60 million tons of the material are produced worldwide every year” Wikipedia

Another quote from Reusable Bags on Ireland’s successful Plas Tax.

In 2001, Ireland consumed 1.2 billion plastic bags, or 316 per person. An extremely successful plastic bag consumption tax, or PlasTax, introduced in 2002 reduced consumption by 90%. Approximately 18,000,000 liters of oil have been saved due to this reduced production. Governments around the world are considering implementing similar measures.

How about that. A 90% reduction! Although I am not a huge fan of big government regulation, in the case of reducing plastic it might be justified. Here in the U.S. some cities are trying to curb the waste by banning plastic bags from major retailers. Do we really want the government to have to waste effort on our trashy ignorant habits? It was reported in 2005 by United Nations Environment Program that ‘currently over 13,000 pieces of plastic litter floating on every square kilometre of ocean’.  That is unacceptable.

This has to start with you as the individual consumer. As common sense as it may seem to the choir upon which I preach, without being exposed to these ideas one will continue to think just as the status quo-upholders tell them.

Stop trekking your happy asses to the store knowing you’ll be hauling away plastic bags bound for a landfill, where it shall release poisons into the ecosystem for thousands of years. Do not be embarrassed because you rarely or even never see anyone bringing their own bag. Tell the lookers why you do it, as if they didn’t know. Say something like ‘currently over 13,000 pieces of plastic litter is floating on every square kilometre of ocean, do you really want to add to that?’ and say it loud.  BYOFB.  Figure that one out.

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