Ordinarily Green: November 2008

I vowed one day some time ago, see my personal blog, to never use a plastic bag again. This was after reading a number of articles about bags getting caught in odd places, the cess pool in the oceans and learning how many bags we consume and needlessly throw away or try to recycle (which appears to be a joke, since it costs more to recycle them then you can sell the recycled material for). So this is where I will keep my list of bags saved and how I do it so others can follow in my footsteps. Since starting this quest, I try to not carry out any type of bag at all, including paper, veggie/fruit bags and plastic shopping bags. We will occasionally get one of these items to reuse as bin liners or for special cooking techniques. For the most part, though, I'm working hard to change how I think about how I waste things, by simply getting a bag from a store I never needed. Feel free to follow along on my journey.

Plastic bags consumed this year:

My total of saved bags as of 04/16/10 (stats kept since 11/10/08):

244 Plastic Shopping Bags
66 Fruit/Veggie Plastic Bags
35 Paper Shopping Bags

Tips to reducing your bag consumption:

Buy reusable bags made from post consumer recycled content or organic fabric
Keep these in your car
Buy one reusable bag small enough to carry on you (mine is from Target, zips up in a pouch)
Carry your small bag everywhere, you never know where you'll need it
Preplan your shopping trips and take reusable bags into the store with you (this will become habit evenutally, I promise)
Hand your reusable bags to the sales person when you start the checkout process
Buy or reuse mesh or breathable organic fabric bags for Veggies and Fruit or simply don't bag them (Our bags are the mesh bags we buy our dog's tennis balls in)
If you completely forgot your reuseable bag which is the BEST option, go with Plastic and return them to the store for recycling, this should be a last hope option though. (Paper actually takes more fossil fuels, and natural recourses to make than Plastic but if you don't recycle then go paper as the toxins and trash created by unrecycled bags is overwhelming)

My bag saving activites:

04/14/10 - Grocery run (+2 Boxes, +6 Plastic)
04/13/10 - Chipotle for the Hubby and New walking shoes purchase (+1 Paper, +1 Plastic)
04/09/10 - Birthday card and Lotto tickets for gift (+1 Plastic)
04/06/10 - Chipotle take home for the Hubby (+1 Paper)
04/01/10 - Farmer's Market purchases in SLO (+3 Plastic)
03/31/10 - Food purchase at the Airport (+1 Plastic)
03/25/10 - Quick grocery pick-up (+1 Plastic)
03/23/10 - Chipotle for the Hubby and Walgreens purchase (+1 Paper, +1 Plastic)
03/13/10 - Whole Foods trip (+2 Plastic, +1 Produce)
03/07/10 - Costco/Grocery Store/Chiptole run (+2 Veg, +7 Plastic, +1 Paper, +2 Boxes)
03/06/10 - Liquor store (+4 Plastic)
03/04/10 - Walgreens (+1 Plastic)
02/27/10 - Clothing Purchase (+2 Plastic)
02/23/10 - Chipotle (+1 Paper)
02/12/10 - Lunch from Whole Foods (+1 Plastic)
02/11/10 - Prescription pick-up (+1 Plastic)
02/10/10 - Prescription pick-up (+1 Plastic)
02/09/10 - Groceries and Chipotle (+2 Plastic, +1 Paper)
02/07/10 - Target (+1 Plastic)
02/02/10 - Chipotle (+1 Paper)
01/29/10 - Prescription pick-up (+1 Plastic)
01/28/10 - Walgreens prescription and purchase (+1 Plastic)
01/26/10 - Chipotle (+1 Paper)
01/23/10 - Grocery store and Costco (+6 Plastic, +4 Veg/Fruit bags, +2 Boxes)
01/19/10 - Chipotle (+1 Paper)
01/02/10 - Chipotle (+1 Paper)
01/03/10 - Costco and Grocery (+2 boxes, +8 Plastic, +2 Veg/Fruit)
12/30/09 - Return/Exchange and purchase at BBB and Groceries at Jewel (+2 Plastic)
12/26/09 - Grocery store in KC (+2 Plastic)
12/21/09 - Chipotle for Remo (+1 Paper)
12/18/09 - Last minute xmas shopping (+3 Plastic)
12/09/09 - Costco and Grocery store monthly run (+6 Plastic/+2 Produce)
12/01/09 - Chipotle for Remo (+1 Paper)
11/17/09 - Brought home chipotle without a bag (+1 Paper Bag)
11/09/09 - Shopping relief post test (+3 Plastic)
11/03/09 - Purchased some local brews after a beer tasting (+1 Plastic)
10/31/09 - Last minute run for Halloween Party (+2 Plastic)
10/28/09 - Grocery run for Halloween Party (+4 produce/+9 Plastic)
10/21/09 - Exchanged a birthday gift at Greenheart (a fantastic fair trade, earth minded store in bucktown) and used my work bag to carry the returned item and the new alpaca gloves... (+1 Plastic)
10/15/09 - Lunch in the Phoenix airport, skipped the bag, crazy I know, I used my hands (+1 Plastic)
10/14/09 - Little Birthday shopping spree in SLO, CA (+1 Plastic)
10/13/09 - Lunch and some lovely sencha instant green tea at a local SLO wholistic grocer (+1 Plastic)
09/30/09 - Small grocery/beer run (+2 Plastic/+1 Fruit/Veg)
09/22/09 - Brought home Chipotle in my bag (+1 Paper)
09/16/09 - Monthly grocery and costco run (+5 Plastic/+2 Veg/Fruit/+2 boxes (not tracking))
09/10/09 - Brought home dinner in my reusable bag (+1 Paper)
09/07/09 - Used my reuseable bag in my purse while on vacation picking up groceries (+2 Plastic)
09/01/09 - WW purcahse, Chipotle carry out (+1 Plastic/+1 Paper)
08/26/09 - Grocery store run, but no car or my reusable bags, used my backpack and my purse reusable bag and then put the rest in paper bags. (+3 Plastic)
08/22/09 - Grocery store run (+2 Plastic)
08/14/09 - Camping supplies (+4 Plastic)
08/05/09 - Gift and Camping purchases, used my work bag, although REI thought I was stealing and checked my bag and receipts when I left for both stores, oh, well. (+3 Plastic)
08/03/09 - WW purchase and Chipotle carry out (+1 Plastic/+1 Paper)
08/01/09 - Camping resupply (+2 Plastic)
07/29/09 - Camping supply purchase (+3 Plastic)
07/24/09 - Random Clothing purchase while waiting on something (+1 Plastic)
07/21/09 - Souvenior purcahse while travelling (+1 Plastic)
07/11/09 - Family food stock up (+4 Produce/+7 Plastic)
07/03/09 - Dinner and bevie purchase for firework presentation (+2 Plastic/+1 Paper)
06/30/09 - Chipotle take home (+1 Paper)
06/27/09 - Grocery stock up (+3 Produce/+9 Plastic)
06/23/09 - WW purchase, used my back pack (+1 Plastic)
06/18/09 - Costco and Grocery Store for Bachlorette Party (+2 Boxes (not counting), +3 Plastic, +1 Produce)
06/17/09 - Various stops during on the KC trips (+3 Plastic)
06/07/09 - Costco and Grocery Store run (+3 Boxes (not counting), +7 Plastic, +2 Produce)
06/04/09 - Chipotle take-out for dinner and quick trip in Walgreens for sundries (+1 Paper, +1 Plastic)
05/30/09 - Picked up a couple of brewskies and used my bag in my purse (+1 Plastic)
05/28/09 - Stopped by the new enourmous Whole Foods to check it out and picked up some fantastic fresh food, huge artichokes! (+6 Plastic, +2 Produce)
05/26/09 - Picked up snacks at WW and used my work bag to get them home, also brought dinner home for my other half (+1 Plastic, +1 Paper)
05/22/09 - Quick grocery store run for Memorial Day (+3 Plastic)
05/16/09 - Greenfest in Chicago! A great timed we learned a lot and purchased a few items including a new larger but more compact bag for my purse. (+3 Plastic)
05/05/09 - Brought Chipotle home (+1 Paper)
04/26/09 - Stopped at a dairy farm on the way home for Cincy and used my Target bag for all the fresh milk and Cheese we bought... Nothing like dairy right off the farm. (+1 plastic)
04/22/09 - Purchase at a local produce store, for my Earth day plan of no meat, I didn't have my produce bags on me so I skipped them where I could, it is hard to carry loose mushroom without a bag... Lucky for me the plastic bags they use are made from 100% post consumer recycled plastic. (+2 Plastic, and +2 Veggie)
04/15/09 - Stopped to purchase wine for our dinner tomorrow on my walk home and got a new reusable bag. It is a fantastic bag with bottle separators! Such a great idea, I can't wait to use it again. (+1 Plastic)
04/14/09 - Quick stop in Aveda and bringing home dinner for my husband, oddly both fit in my Target bag. (+1 Plastic, +1 Brown)
04/09/09 - Sally's for a replacement (+1 Plastic)
04/08/09 - Grocery store trip (+3 Plastic, +3 Vegetables)
04/03/09 - Fruit and Veggie purchase at the local produce store (+1 Plastic)
03/26/09 - Grocery store and Costco trip (+2 Plasic, +2 Boxes (not counting))
03/24/09 - WW purchase (+1 Plastic)
03/22/09 - Grocery store (+2 Plastic)
03/22/09 - Gift purchase (+1 Plastic)
03/13/09 - Grocery store (+1 Plastic, +1 Veggies)
03/06/09 - Grocery store for quick dinner (+1 Plastic)
03/04/09 - Waiting in CVS for friends leads to finding a fun new headband which I promptly put in my purse. (+1 Plastic)
03/04/09 - Stop at grocery store for dinner supplies (+2 Plastic)
03/03/09 - Walgreens run (+1 Plastic)
02/24/09 - Bed, bath and beyond trip for rechargeable battery storage case (+1 Plastic)
02/17/09 - Walgreens run after dinner with a friend (+1 Plastic)
02/15/09 - Costco Trip with the new enourmous Canvas bag I won at a charity event, that definitely saved a few boxes.
02/12/09 - While I didn't save any bags today for shopping I won two very large, almost duffle bag size heavy duty canvas tote bags that I will now be adding to my reusuable bag collection. I can't wait to use them.
02/10/09 - Saved bags at Target all though I feel a bit guilty since I was only in Target waiting out getting new tires on the car, but when they won't release your car because the treads are two low what are you going to do? (+2 Plastic)
02/03/09 - Chipotle take home for my husband (+1 Paper)
01/31/09 - Last minute trip for forgotten Superbowl food needs (+2 Plastic)
01/25/09 - Grocery store (big trip in prep for superbowl) (+7 Plastic, +5 Fruit/Veggie)
01/19/09 - Walgreens run during lunch (+1 Plastic)
01/17/09 - Small Grocery store run (+2 Plastic)
01/03/09 - Trip to Home Depot and Grocery store (+4 Plastic, +1 Fruit/Veggie)
12/28/08 - Grocery store (+2 Plastic, +3 Fruit/Veggie)
12/23/08 - Walgreen's run during lunch (+1 Plastic)
12/20/08 - Grocery (+6 Plastic, +2 Fruit/Veggie) and Costco run (a couple of boxes)
12/17/08 - Kohl's trip (+2 Plastic) finally done with christmas shopping, whew.
12/14/08 - Trip to Costco and saved a box or two, which I am not tracking.
12/13/08 - Trips to Pet store (+1 Plastic), and a big trip to the grocery store (+6 Plastic). Too bad I forgot my reusable produce bags, bad Kelly...
12/12/08 - Walgreen's run (+1 Plastic)
12/09/08 - Brought my husband Chipotle home, in my own bag (+1 paper bag)
12/01/08 - I forwent the bag at a rest stop, like I need a bag for 1 item... (+1 plastic bag)
11/24/08 - Black Friday shopping (sorry had too for the out of town family while I was there) I used only my bags which helped because I filled them rather then dealing with a cart, I saved 1 bag at the first store, 2 at the second and 3 at the third (all plastic), what nice round numbers...
11/23/08 - Trip to the store prior to T-day dinner (+1 Plastic Bag)
11/19/08 - Trip to Whole Foods and Sam's(+2 Plastic Bags, +1 Produce bag and +1 box)
11/15/08 - During the evening trip to Jewel to pick up the suprise cake and a few odds and ends for a friends suprise party (+1 Plastic Bag)
11/15/08 - During the afternoon trips to Costco, Ulta and the grocery store where I used all of my reuseable bags (+4 Plastic Bags, +1 Produce Bag and at least one box, all though not tracking these)
11/12/08 - Put my purchase at a clothing store in my work bag (+1 Plastic Bag)
11/11/08 - Used my bag to take my purchased lunch to the office (+1 Paper Bag)

Welcome to my green blog for ordinary people. Here you will find tips, tricks, lists and ideas to help you pick up everyday habits to help our environment. I would love for my morning to look like this: Wake up slip on my fair trade, organic cotton slippers and robe, head for my solar heated, rain water shower, brush my teeth with my recycled wooden toothbrush and baking soda, get dressed in my fair trade, organic hemp or cotton suit, head to my sustainable kitchen to make my organic, fair trade breakfast before walking to my office. Let’s face it though, I am not a millionaire and I live in an 8 unit condo building in Chicago. While my dream is to make my life as green as possible, I have to be realistic and work in those aspects as I can, by changing my attitude towards my life. I started years ago by recycling what I could and donating items I couldn’t and then throwing away the rest.I have recently pledged to never use another plastic bag and I make sure to turn off any light I am not immediately using. I figured if I can work these things into my hectic life others could too, they just need to be inspired. That is where the idea for this blog came from. What I do to be more green probably doesn’t even combat a ½% of the problem, but if I can inspire others by my daily actions and this blog then that ½% gets compounded and starts to add up to real numbers. So join me in my quest for a healthier planet for ourselves and our future generations, by becoming Ordinarily Green.

I set up the blog to have an open dialog, to hand out my ideas and get feedback if they aren’t right and praise if they are. I do not claim to know everything about the environment and what is best for it, but I know that something has to be done and I hope this blog helps others to take steps towards improving our environment.

Most of all I hope this blog inspires more people to do what they can to help.

Ordinarily Green

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Julia goes Green

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Green "duh" of the day

Down with Shopping Bags!

Ebay goes Green, Sort of

Thursday, November 6, 2008

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