Green Options

Plastic bags, the bane of human existence.

They were also a huge annoyance to Daniel Burd, who said that they’d come pouring out of the closet every time he did chores.

One day, I got tired of it and I wanted to know what other people are doing with these plastic bags.

So he did what any teen would do. He experimented with bacteria and decomposed a plastic bag in 3 months, winning top prize in the Canada-Wide Science Fair in Ottawa.

A recent study by Whole Foods Market estimates that reusable bag usage has increased by 300% in the year since it eliminated plastic bags at all of its stores.  The company estimated that 150 million bags have been kept out of landfills over the twelve month period.

Whole Foods Market made the announcement last year that they would stop using plastic bags company-wide starting on Earth Day 2008.  Since this announcement, public sentiment has been moving in the direction of eventual elimination of plastic bags at all grocery and retail stores, and municipalities (including the city of San Francisco) have begun outlawing or taxing plastic bag usage within city limits.

Congratulations Amber!  You’ve won the four reusable ChicoBags courtesy of Two Knobby Tires.  Thanks to everyone for your comments and suggestions on how to remember to use your reusable bags, and we hope Amber never leaves her new bags in the car!

If you use a polyethylene bag in Delhi, India, you could get 5 years or face a 100,000 ruppe fine ($3000 U.S.). But that’s nothin’ compared to how long it takes those nasty bags to decompose.

Said J. K. Dadoo, Delhi’s top environment official,

We want people to understand that they will not get away with (using plastic bags). If they choose to defy the law repeatedly, then the court has the measures necessary to fit.

Shown above from Gift of Green, (going clockwise) ~

1. Daisy Flower Card and “Gift of Green“- Cilantro Leaf Card: For each “Gift of Green® purchased, one native tree is planted in an ecosystem restoration project in the United States“. An average tree will absorb over 650 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) in its lifetime… In addition to absorbing CO2, the new trees also restore and revive forests damaged by natural disasters and return the forest ecosystems to all their lush glory.

You’ve now cut your old jeans to make a sexy upcycled mini skirt,  craft supply organizer or I-pod case- what do you do with all those…well, leg scraps laying around? In a few simple & experimental steps you can have a super eco craft  that has double the earth loving power-  an upcycled denim BYOB (bring your own bag) tote! Not only is it eco savvy to reuse your old jeans but this crafty shopper will help stop the plastic bag litter that is poisoning ground water & soil.  This sassy project deserves 2 green stars!

You Will Need:

• legs left over from your last denim craft project
• scissors
• sewing machine or turn of the century hand sewing skills
• thread of a fun contrasting color

 STEP #1: Choosing - I chose legs from two different stone washed jeans to make subtle contrasting stripes, but you can use any number scrap colors. You can also go for the mono color look, and let the thread be your main contrast.

STEP #2: Cutting - Now is the time to lay out those jean legs and cut them open. You will want to save the thick seams for the straps of the bag, so cut directly up the seams on both sides and remove them. Then cut 9 rectangles at 13inch X 5 inch  ( you can make them larger or smaller if you’d like to change the size of the bag, as long as every rectangle is the same exact size.)

Accessories, such as shoes or jewelry, are just as important as the basics of your wardrobe. With all of the reusable bags available on the market (many of which have been covered right here on Green Options), it’s likely that you will be able to find one to your liking. For those of us that prefer a personal, do-it-yourself, advertisement-free touch - this post is for you! In

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Paper or plastic? By now we've all been educated to respond with a resounding "no thanks!" The benefits of BYOB (bringing your own bag) are overwhelming, but what bag to bring?