Bag it

A few weeks ago I went to a conference at which, instead of the standard bag-swag, they gave us a thin set of just-the-essential materials in one of those grass green HEB bags, donated by HEB. No, the bag wasn't as swank as some but it brought home the point: we can all find little and not so small ways to move away from overuse.

Take bags, for instance. While bans on plastic bags are gaining momentum worldwide, there's debate about whether that just leads to more use of paper. It's possible to limit or eliminate both--by going TOTE. The humble tote is strong, has handles, can be re-used, and is good for everything from books to fruit. It is said (though not confirmed) that a well-made tote can replace 1000 plastic bags. That doesn't mean we oughta go tote-buying-crazy. As Pablo Paster points out, the production of bags of all types of material (canvas, cotton, polyester, polypropyline) does have its impact. But within reason, the reusable bag beats disposables, handles down.

Don't want to buy totes new? Need a project for kids or the kid in you? Kismit and Morsbags show you how to make your own tote from materials you already own.

And here's a video to share by Good Magazine.