As we drove back from Chicago this week, I was disheartened. I don’t know if it’s because it’s winter and the lack of foliage allows things to blow across the plains with less resistance or what, but it seemed like there were plastic bags everywhere. Rob says this is my new crusade. I don’t know if it’s that, but I am determined to at least minimize my own impact and encourage my friends to do the same.

I’m not sure if the problem is really as bad as I perceive it to be or if it is just that I am more aware of it as I strive to not take any bags whenever possible.

The problems I noticed with the plastic bags are many.

1. They are abundant.  There are so many!  People give you a bag if you buy a bag of chips at the gas station.
2. They are lightweight; they have the potential to fly everywhere and get caught on stuff.
3. They are not recycled as often as paper bags.
4. They are a danger to wildlife.
5. They are a suffocation hazard to children.

Even though it takes more energy and resources to produce a paper bag, it is more likely to be recycled and they last longer and can be reused.  They are not as likely to get caught in trees or entangle wildlife.

I’m a big fan of paper when I need to take a bag.  I’m also a big fan of the Aldi approach of charging for bags or making people bring their own.  In the UK, after a charge was imposed on taking plastic bags at IKEA, it reduced plastic bag usage there by 95%.

Most importantly, buy durable ones that you can reuse or sew some out of old T-shirts.  I really don’t want to see it get any worse than this.