Plastic is So Passe

Many of my favorite bloggers (see my "inspiration" blog roll) have been participating in the One Small Change project this year. In a nutshell, each month, these families have been carefully choosing one thing in their lives that they can eliminate/up-cycle/change/etc., however seemingly small, to make a collectively huge impact on the environment and global health. How awesome is that? Anyone can join in, and blog about their experiences, or not. And your "One" thing could be anything, really.

Here's an example: stop using plastic grocery bags and get in the habit of bringing your own re-usable bags.

Easy-peezy! Many people are already on that bandwagon [bus], if not every time they purchase something then at least occasionally when they can remember to bring along bags. But if you're one of those folks who is still dragging his/her heels and holding firm to their beloved plastic bags, and maybe you're looking for a little bit of incentive (besides a healthy, thriving future for our planet and whatnot) before you give it a try... Mambo Sprouts and BlueAvocado have teamed up in a Shopping Bag Giveaway. It's a cinch to enter, and you can pass on the word for an additional entry. I've entered myself in the contest, and now I'm sharing the chance with you to win (how sweet of me!)

Admittedly, I hopped on the re-usable bag bus and have been cruising along joyfully, guilt-free, for a long while now. It wasn't very hard for me. I'm not a purse kind of person - I commute by bike daily (my husband and I don't own cars) and I always have a backpack strapped on my shoulders. So I can carry everything I would normally carry in a purse, in addition to being able to throw several grocery items, or clothing purchases, or snacks, or whatever in there. And I keep one or two re-usable shopping bags in the backpack, so I'll always have it handy. Truth be told, I've come to have quite a collection of re-usable bags over the years, but I never pass up an opportunity for another one. Especially if it's a non-ugly one (most of BlueAvocado's bags are decidedly cute!), and most especially if it's absolutely free!

Yay!