Can one person make a difference?

I have a thing about plastic bags. An obsession, if you will.

I feel guilty about using them. I feel bad knowing that these handy little fossil-fuel-derived things will eventually end up in a landfill somewhere, never, ever to degrade. Or worse still, be sucked in by a jellyfish and end up choking and killing an endangered baby turtle.

To assuage my feelings of guilt and shame, I resort to one 'inaction' and several 'actions'.

Inaction #1: Don't go shopping. Shopping = packaging. And these days it is almost impossible to purchase stuff without packaging. This “Inaction #1” can be a very difficult thing to (not) do, especially if you are a shopping afficionado like myself. In which case, one must then refer to Action #1.

Action #1: Very carefully pick and choose establishments that purvey less packaging. To this end, I shop at farmers markets and the like. No Styrofoam, no cling wrap, no unnecessary packaging. Yes, sometimes it can be slightly inconvenient but nobody said saving the world was going to be easy right? Besides farmers markets are the best!

Action #2: I carry my own plastic bags everywhere. I am prepared for any occasion. They are like my little security blankets. I keep my stash close to me, not knowing
when the need to shop will strike. I never leave home without them. I have a few small, medium and large ones and these are neatly folded like you would a flag (looks triangle-like). I place them in my big cloth grocery bag. And you may ask, where do I get all these plastic bags in the first place? You'd be surprised how zealous some shopping mall cashiers are in making sure you get your daily allotted quota of plastic bags. I try hard to resist, but sometimes I am weak.

Action #3: I shop at places that I know will let me use my own bags. It can reduce the problem with overzealous cashiers mentioned in ‘Action #2’. I stopped visiting one grocery chain store because it was too much of a hassle explaining my desire to use my own bags to the manager every time I bought something there. Also, before I was allowed to enter the store and consequently give them money (buy something), my bag had to be sealed in a large plastic bag. I had no problem with this 'trust' issue, but I did not like to be responsible for the frivolous use of yet another plastic bag.

Action #4: I wash and dry my used plastic bags. As I tap out these letters on my keyboard, four plastic bags of various sizes and origins hang in my kitchen. These bags are at different stages of 're-use-readiness' processing. I even reuse bags that have held fish and meat and (oh the horror) poultry. A quick rinse, drip dry, and some sun and these bags are back in service.

Action #5: I recycle plastic bags that have been retired due to holes and other deformities. Well actually, there aren’t yet any recycling facilities for these bags in my area. So I keep all ‘em broken bags in a bag for now. One day, there will be a recycling facility where these old faithful will find a new lease in life.

I also generate very little waste, thus don’t need to use many bags for trash disposal. My trash output is about one half-gallon plastic bag a week. Usually less. I compose compost (another post)! Well, I look forward to the day where I have retired all my bags and have no more to use. This day is soon to come and you will be the first to know.