gone with the wind

No, my name isn’t Vivian.

This is actually something I have to tell people regularly. Not because I wear dresses made out of my curtains, but because I carry a large pink bag with the name monogrammed on the side. I have a matching one that says Carsyn. Why do I have them? Because they are large and easy to carry, and I got them cheap out of a seconds bin.

And because I will not use paper or plastic bags. And neither should you.

Now, I’m not the type to tell you things like this very often, but the issue presented itself to me three distinct times today, and finally I thought – I guess I need to write about this.

The first was when my mother told her friend that I avoid plastic at all costs – a description of myself that I was oddly proud of.

The second was later at the grocery store, when I made the exciting discovery that our local Kroger actually gives you a few cents credit each time you use your own bag.

The third was when I saw this article referenced in swissmiss, one of Bryan’s favorite blogs.

It just made me think about it all today; I’ve been carrying these bags for several months now, into every store that I can remember to drag them into. Sometimes I forget and wheel my cart out to the car and load them there. I started this whole thing because of this article – which says, if you don’t get anything else – that there is a wad of plastic detritus TWICE THE SIZE OF TEXAS floating in the Pacific Ocean.

Did you get that?

It’s fairly horrified me ever since, so I’ve been very anti-plastic, especially anti-plastic grocery store bags. I certainly can’t get away from it everywhere – but grocery bags? Easily eliminated. Well, easily enough on my end, anyway. You wouldn’t believe how hard it can be to get out of some stores without someone trying to foist a plastic bag on you. Really? Are you sure you don’t want a bag for that?

Which may be the biggest lesson I’ve learned along the way. I’ve done a few things to adjust my life – I believe there is still much farther to go – but even the smallest changes are challenging mostly in the sense that they are not the way things are normally done. I have to keep reminding myself, and the reaction I encounter often from other people is: why would you bother with that? It’s like we (and I count myself definitely as one of the we) get our lives going on this certain track and then never stop to think about the ramifications of the things we do. Like the fact that much of our behavior, the things we buy, the food we eat, and how all of it is packaged is heavily influenced by people whose main concern is not our health or the environment – but by making the most money off of us that they can.

Are you thinking I sound paranoid yet? Did you read far enough into the Post article to see where it says that most plastic bags collected for recycling are not actually recycled but incinerated in countries with fewer regulations?

OK – backing away from the soapbox now.

Remember, though – it’s good to have a healthy distrust of someone who is only trying to sell you something. And, if you do choose to buy it – whatever it is – be sure to put it in your very own reusable bag.

Not the one that says Vivian. That one’s mine.