Loose the Plastic Bag...the Beautiful way!

These are my reusable shopping bags, that I bought In Portland, Oregon made by the BlueQ co. I love these bags so so so much, that I ordered more and now have a total of 5 awesome shoppers! Enough to go bonkers in the supermarket, carry clothes for an overnight slumber party and a bag to pack flat in a suitcase on my next trip!

So can we please stop taking plastic bags at the grocery store?? BYOB!!! And if you have already been so gracious to be doing so, can we now take this opportunity to self-define, be creative and make that Shopper BEEE--OOO-TEE--FFULL?

According to the NY times, it is estimated that the US uses over 100 billion plastic bags a year. That is sad. What are we doing with all those bags? Building houses? I would like to think that we as a country are beginning to take the steps necessary to stop using plastic bags (since the Europeans have been practicing the waste-not BYOB for years) and we're usually not that far behind. Yet, when I was in Portland this summer taking a 'glass class' at Bullseye, I was sideswipe with how eco-conscious Portland was, I mean NO STORE gave a bag without first asking! Yikes, I felt like we are slow to the mark back here in New Jersey. Grant it, around my parts the supermarkets have started selling those small reusable photo-sharp dollar bags, Yipee! And Whole foods has just made using reusable bags official. I have all the faith in the world that we here in the Garden State will indeed get there. When we do, there is another 'creative' side to the 'Plastic or Paper, Actually Neither-thing' and that is DESIGN.

First, we have to ask, "Now, What do I do with the 1000 plastic bags stuffed in my pantry?" You CRAFT them!! Here are some of the things I've been doing with my plastic bags:

What's that I heard? You don't sew, crochet or latch-hook? NO WORRIES!

DDIYers (Design and Do-It Yourselfers) are rising to the challenge and creating beautiful alternatives to the shopping bag for YOU! Like Etsy seller and designer Lima Bean who makes great re-usable canvas shoppers, and Monk Rock Creations makes eco-friendly shopping bags. Say you really want one of those awesome crochet out of plastic bags bag, go see My Recycled Bags by Cindy who creatively places recycling at the forefront of all her designing. Warning these are FABTASTIC crocheted bags and you may want to purchase more than one!

Whatever you do, self-define yourself and BYOB.