I have a shopping bag that a friend gave me while shopping together. It is not one of those carefully designed reusable shopping bags that have attractive patterns and colors. It is just a plain white canvas bag that has been used for so long that there are permanent stains at the bottom (probably from fresh vegetables).

I use the bag when I walk to the store for grocery shopping (Luckily the store is only three minutes away from where I live). The first time I checked out, the cashier looked at me with a strange look and said “are we doing the own-bag thing?” I said yes, and put the grocery into the bag myself.

Another time I had a box of eggs and some other stuff. The person who was helping me fill the bag asked if I wanted a plastic bag for the eggs. I was pretty sure that the eggs will get along with the other stuff just fine. After all I only needed to walk a very short distance. When I explained I would prefer to use just my bag, he said “I guess you like scrambled eggs.” I smiled at him, but sensed the sarcasm in his joke.

When I just began to feel that my simple action does not fit in the “culture” of a regular grocery store where most shoppers happily take home many plastic or paper bags, I met this cashier with a sweet smile who said “are you using your own bag?” She helped me put the stuff in the bag, and thanked me for shopping there. Then later I met some other cashiers who were also very friendly.

Yesterday I met a like-minded shopper in the store. She had several very nice woven bags and the cashier patiently opened each bag and put the grocery in. She told me she bought those bags at Wild Oats and has been using them ever since.

Sometimes the difficulty of sticking to a green habit may not come from our own laziness or mindlessness, but rather from “peer pressure”. However, if you hang in there, your seemingly odd behavior will be just as normal as anyone else, because more and more people are choosing a lifestyle that does make a difference.

If each one of us makes efforts today to use our own shopping bags, plain or fancy, I believe eventually the mainstream stores will notice the demand of consumers and get rid of plastic or paper bags altogether. When that day comes, our individual efforts will be benefiting our environment much greater than we can imagine.

So, start now, to use your own shopping bags!

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Visit ResuableBags.com if you cannot find any reusable bags in your neighborhood or if you’re looking for something special and uniquely you!

I was on a wind-energy offset chairlift in Aspen with my tree-hugging ski instructor who brought up a rather interesting point that I can’t help but bring up to you.

Clothes, toys, appliances, equipment, electronics, even food are shipped en mass from China, distinguished by “Made in China” stamps and tags discretely designating them as originating overseas. American manufacturers punctuate their products with statements of “Made in the USA!” to stand out from the sea of imports- a symbol of both American allegiance and quality craftsmanship.

More than quality and national loyalty, as we are learning, objects made overseas and the energy it takes to transport them are contributing to the degradation of our planet, and, somehow, we are individually partially responsible. Our personal carbon and environmental footprints are not just defined by the actions that we personally take, but those that our belongings took on their way to our hands- hence a good chunk of the concept behind local foodie (also known as locavore) ideals.

But let’s go beyond our personal commitments to the environment and consider that our nation’s GreenIQ has risen (at least in awareness if not yet creating a noticeably cleaner environment), while China’s is steadily and drastically decreasing. Seems that lots of Americans are fast to place blame on China for putting the planet in even further peril due to its chemical-use during manufacturing and general emissions emitting in the name of growth.

Just putting it out there, but is it possible that China’s IQ is going down and ours is going up partially because they are doing of our dirty work for us?

It is an interesting point that definitely deserves a moment of consideration. Of course, Americans are much more aware of their individual impact on the environment than ever before and new standards have been put in place to regulate emissions and conserve energy and water. But “Made in China” is something to think about.

Thanks for listening.

xx

Laurel

I’ve never been one to hold back my thoughts, opinions, or viewpoints. Often, without even being asked, I’ll share what I think about something. This has its good points and its bad depending upon the situation. There are very few areas or topics of discussion where I’ll simply stay quiet (and usually it’s because I either don’t want to share my viewpoint or know my company well enough to know it will not be well received whatsoever and I’m not up for a debate).

The environment is one of the areas where I never remain quiet. I will quickly scold anyone who tosses something aside to the ground and insist they pick it up or I shall (which results in further scolding). I’ll chastise those around me who use styrofoam cups and remind them of how long that cup will sit in a landfill (some reports say 400 years, others say 2000 years btw - even on the short end that’s far too long). If I am at someone’s house helping prepare a meal, I’ll ask, “where does the recycling go”? After awhile - after asking time and time again - nagging can pay off. Eventually they point to a bag in the corner, or a box, or a special basket. Whether it’s at my inlaw’s house, or an office I frequent, or a friend’s - all have eventually pointed to that wonderful receptacle after being asked numerous times!

Now, I don’t consider myself an idiot. I realize that having the bin and using it as it’s intended are two different things. Any positive change after so much nagging deserves many, many kudos and celebratory, congratulatory reinforcement of how great it is that they’re recycling now. After all the congratulations I’ll then ask, “where do you take it?” (we don’t have curbside recycling in my area, sadly). If they aren’t sure, or the usual drop off location is full, I’ll offer to take it myself. As long as they are trying, and it isn’t going into a landfill and they are rethinking their usual habits of use/toss progress is being made for the better.

Often people who are unable are still willing. Help them. It’s a win-win-win situation (yes, that’s right, 3 wins!). You win, they win, and the planet wins. There are numerous seniors, for example, who are unable to carry large boxes of paper out to recycle - even curbside. Offer to take it for them. If you see your neighbor repeatedly throwing out boxes filled with stacks of paper, offer to collect it weekly when you do your own recycling run - they can simply leave it outside. It may actually be easier than lugging it to the curb for them, too!
I’ve noticed that once people start recycling waste they become more conscientious in other areas. Not always, but sometimes. When someone is collecting 2 bags of paper weekly - from food boxes, newspapers, junkmail, office shreddings, etc - they might begin to look at how things they purchase are packaged and make friendly choices. Small changes, but enough drops will create an ocean.

There are unseen benefits to helping others recycle - In my case, I took aluminum cans from an office once a week. It was a moderate office with 30-ish people and free soft drinks were supplied by the company. The employees were, for the most part, pretty cooperative about recycling. As a result of this, and the free drinks, they had a lot of cans. Usually 2 full trashbags of crushed cans every week. Without curbside recycling in that area they didn’t know what to do with them, so I picked them up weekly. All the cans that I collected were donated to a local sports club in my area. Last year that sports club raised over $260 by recycling 28 tonnes of donated metal and cans. This also prevented 175 cubic yards of waste ending up in landfills and saved over 110,000 KW of energy. Not bad for a small group.

Here are some easy ways you can help make a difference in your neighborhood:

• Recycle. If you’re not already recycling then start. You’ll be amazed at how much garbage you generate when you do!
• Be vocal. Let people know they should be recycling and remind them that we all share the planet and many other people will be left long after they’re gone (a common argument).
• Offer your assistance! Do they need a bag or basket to store it in? Get them one. A paper bag from the grocery store will hold a lot of paper and boxes (when they’re flattened) and they’re free. Fold down the edges and make it easier to toss paper into without it falling over.
• Offer to help bring collected materials to a recycling drop-off location or center or take it for them if they’re unable.

Other ways to help:

• Don’t recycle old books to pulp! Give them to libraries, hospitals, group homes, shelters, etc. Often they are more than willing to take books and periodicals off your hands and their content can be recycled many times over before their pages are!
• When you buy a large item, such as a tv, refridgerator, treadmill, etc recycling the packaging. Simply throwing leaving the box for your 60″ plasma TV merely tells everyone who happens through your neighborhood, including criminals, that there’s a valuable television there. Crime experts recommend you cut down the box anyway so take it a step further and recycle that cardboard. Many times the delivery men who bring these large ticket items will happily cut down the box for you. Don’t be shy about asking.
• If you’re having work done in your home, beit the furnace or a plumber, many responsible tradesmen will take away their trash. Ask them if they recycle. If they don’t tell them you’d like to and ask them to leave it (and cut it down if it’s a large box).
• When you clean out your closet donate anything that has life left in it to shelters. This reduces landfill and helps others in need. Many have regular drives in which they pick up items left at the curb on certain days of the month. You can receive a tax write-off as well.

Show the planet some love.

The first time I saw a Prius, Dustin Hoffman was behind the wheel. Then celebs like Leo, Cameron and Jennifer Aniston were seen pulling up to red carpets all over Hollywood, Beverly Hills and Brentwood in the hyped hybrid. That’s when I began to dismiss the Prius as merely a “statement car.”

And then my dad, who has always been a car guy at a distance, got into an argument with a friend of his over his friend’s recent purchase of an SUV. My dad’s argument was that in this day and age the environment had to be considered when buying a car. Now keep in mind that, while my dad does enjoy outdoor activities, he has never been considered exactly ecocentric. In fact, he himself drove a Hollywood-type car without a conscious.

The next day my dad literally drove his statement home- he bought a Prius. Though at first the car was merely a way to say “see!” to his friend, he quickly found that he loved his newly minted statement and went as far as to put his old beloved icon in storage.

So what’s my point? I have heard, seen and argued with deeply rooted greenies who are deeply offended by a newbie’s purchase of a Prius for sheer statement-making purposes.

If you are buying a Prius and pulling up to your neighborhood farmer’s market for a car load of locally grown organic produce for the

first time I applaud you- regardless of your reason. So what if celebrities are helping to drive the environmental movement? So what if Schwarzenegger- a known Hummer collector- is now fighting, actually suing on behalf of the environment.

In my opinion, environmental showmanship is a welcome form of snobbery. It’s better than parading around in a Hummer, Ferrari or Bentley!

Don’t get me wrong, die hard environmentalists are at the core of the eco movement. But there are millions of others, like my dad, who never before really considered how their lifestyle choices were in fact contributing to global warming, but now they may be ready to explore new options. If making a statement is their initial eco choice- great! They now have an awareness that didn’t exist within them before, and they will- I guarantee you- make conscious decisions from now on.

Don’t own or not interested in owning a Prius- no problem. Make a statement in your own way. Here are a few ways you can try:

• Wear a “Green in Sexy” t-shirt
• Carry a reusable bag at the grocery store
• Buy local at your neighborhood farmer’s market
• Install solar panels on your roof
• Show off your own personal wind mill in your front lawn
• Include your GreenIQ Score in your email signature

It IS time to make a statement. Let your greenness shine and inspire others to do their part too. If you’ve got it, flaunt it!

xx
Laurel