BAG IT IN A REUSABLE BAG PLEASE

I have become obsessed with plastic bags. I want them to GO AWAY! Ever since I watched the film BAG IT on Netflix, I realized how much our lives are filled with plastic. Wasteful plastic!! I stopped using plastic bags immediately after watching the film. I was already using reusable shopping bags at the grocery store, but not for all my other shopping. It's such a simple thing that we can all do to make a huge difference. Almost every store seems to have reusable shopping bags for sale now. Most of the time they are right in front of you at the cash lanes. The other day when I was at Target I found this bag over near the stationary area...


What makes this bag better? It folds and could easily be placed in a coat pocket or purse. It's also way cuter then the generic red ones that Target sells at the registers. I am always amazed at how many people carry one item out of a store in a huge bag. Heck, you can just use your cart and place your items gently in your car. That's what I do when I go to IKEA and other stores that have no bags. We are all programmed to get a bag. It's normal right? You just don't think about it.


So what is taking us all so long to realize that we don't need these evil little plastic things? I personally believe it's education and knowledge. Plastics are made from crude oil and when you start to realize HOW much of ALL our daily items come in some type of plastic bag, plastic packaging or it is plastic itself,....that's A LOT of resources we are using up. Wasteful. It takes one plastic bag over 100 years to biodegrade in a landfill. 100 years! We use it for 15 minutes to get our treasures from the thrift store home, one top you purchased at Target or you get about 20 of them for your groceries every week! Think about how many other people are doing the same thing?!? It's a bit scary when you think about it? We all have to spread the word and tell people that this is a serious problem.


Our wildlife and planet is paying the biggest price. Cody and I live in one of the windiest cities in the United States. I hate to say this so bluntly, but people are lazy and there is trash blowing all over the place. When you live here, common sense tells you that leaving a half empty trash can outdoors or all your kids plastic toy balls is probably not a good idea. Yet I am always looking out my window at trash, toys and plastic in my backyard. We get wind gusts up to 60 m.p.h. here. You shouldn't even have outdoor furniture. No one cares. Some days I finally get mad enough that I go outside and just start picking it up myself. The more ironic part to me is that it's ALL RECYCLABLE, so it goes into my recycling bins. :) I learned from the movie BAG IT, that all our loose trash ends up in all our water ways. Which in the end goes to the ocean....


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There are many cities that are BANNING PLASTIC BAGS. Another great thing about the BAG IT film is that their website gives you tools on how you can start your own BAG IT campaign in your own town or city. I am REALLY considering doing this in my city. I think I have the drive and the passion to do it. As you can see from this post alone, I feel very strongly about it. I love the saying, "It takes more effort to care about something, then to not care at all." That is so me. I have become a more "angrier" person because my views have changed so much. I guess it's not just angry, I am just passionate about making the world a better place. I have such a strong drive and desire to make a difference. Now I want to share with you the reusable bags that I use on a daily basis. I picked this Chico Bag up for $4 at Natural Grocers....


I love it because it can hook on to your purse or even a belt loop on your jeans. It folds inside of itself. It's a lot more convenient then the bigger tote bags that all the retailers sell. I actually made a quick video of myself opening it and closing it that you can watch below...


We shop at Target a lot. Every time I go this bag goes with me. When I go through the checkout I try to quickly and politely say, "No bag please." The reacts I get are almost priceless.
"Really?"
"Are you sure?"
"Okay?" (with a rude undertone)

You have to inform your cashier very quickly that you don't want a bag because they are always ready to just start stuffing. Most stores have the bags ready and open! Target is one of these places. They do give a 5 cent off discount for every reusable bag you use at Target. The signs are very tiny though and I wish they would promote this on their doors when you first come in the store. Plastic bags can not be cheap for all these stores to provide their customers. I cringe thinking about all the holiday shopping that's getting ready to kick off and all the shoppers proudly carrying around their plastic shopping bags.

My bags I use every week for grocery shopping. We also reuse the plastic produce bags weekly.

Yes some of us recycle our bags, so what's the big deal right? Well, recycling is not enough when it comes to the amount of crude oil that is being used to make our plastic world. I urge you to watch the BAG IT film. It's a humorous documentary that keeps things "light", but still is VERY educational and leaves you with the tools you need to make a difference in our every day lives. Leaving us all with a more hopefully future and cleaner planet. YAY! :) Another great thing about using a reusable bag is you are making a statement. When people watch you leaving a store with a reusable bag, they see it. It's instantly making people think about it. It's like a walking billboard in a way.

In collusion, if you actually read all that,...I am giving away the reusable bag that I purchased at Target.

The giveaway is hosted over on Emily's blog Tea Tree. When she approached me about being included in her "Giving Thanks" group giveaway on her blog I was super excited. Emily is also passionate about using reusable bags and it's a great way to give thanks to our planet. Head over to Emily's blog to see all the great prizes in her Giving Thanks Giveaway! The giveaway ends November 21st! Good Luck!
I hope I have left you inspired. :)

This post is part of my MAKE A DIFFERENCE series. View more posts like this one HERE.