Give Some Green (and I don’t mean cash!)
You know the holidays are coming up, right? And you KNOW what that means, right? Yep, shopping. Lots and lots of shopping. And lots of bags. Paper and plastic.
The paper bags from everyone in America buying groceries for Thanksgiving alone will probably set us back a few frillion trees and a lot of oxygen, ya know?
And then Christmas and Hannukah…more bags. Especially plastic ones from malls, department stores etc.
So I have this idea!
I’m suggesting that instead of, or perhaps in addition to a regular gift, that you give the gift of re-usable bags to your friends, family, kids’ teachers, the mailman, the lawn guy — anyone! Everyone!
I know it sounds super crunchy and not at all glamorous but let me tell you… I never felt so cool as I did the other day when I carried my Green Bags (purchased at my local Publix grocery store for $1.49 each) into Wild Oats and had the guy put my groceries in them when I checked out.
Everyone around me, including the ultra-hippies and greenies, were using paper whereas I saved about FIVE paper bags that day using my awesome, super strong, super sturdy and super cheap Green Bags.
That’s when I decided that at $1.49 a pop, I was going to give my bags away to other people and just buy new ones. And that’s what I did!
And then it occurred to me that those bags (or ANY re-usable bags that are made to last) would make great presents because they’re like a gift that helps someone be green (or greener) and it keeps giving to the environment, too.
Can you tell that I’m excited about this?
Squeeee!!!
this is an awesome idea, Iz! and if i may be so bold: you can get 6 reusable cotton grocery bags at amazon for under $20 here: http://tinyurl.com/24jkry
ps: better still, you can get 10 bags for under $20 here: http://tinyurl.com/22a3wo
I think this is a great idea. I had to say though that hearing mention of Publix makes me smile. We live in Texas but visit Florida a lot, and my husband’s very ice cream (ON THE PLANET) is banana split ice cream from Publix. We only have it when we’re there and he eats roughly 4 gallons each trip. No other ice cream compares.
I was actually planning to do just that. I bought some a few months ago, and I love them. And thanks, Sweetney, for the links.
What an awesome idea! I love that! Totally stealing it my dear, totally stealing it! thanks!
Good idea!!
Oh that’s a COOL idea! I usually buy donkeys and llamas for people in other countries, but what about that certificate IN the bags!
Julie
Using My Words
That’s a great idea! It would cost about the same as a nice gift bag anyway! Love it!
Izzy! That’s an absolutely brilliant idea. Brilliant. I’ve got a list of reusable-bag recipients forming in my head already!
YEAH! I never go anywhere without my bags!!
I like that! I am giving my dad and his friend some organic, fair-trade chocolate and hot choc and coffee, along with a set of mugs that remind me of some he had long ago. Now I think I’ll pack it all in a reusable bag, too.
I use green bags from my local Stop N Shop, $.99 each, and I just got a free one in the mail for being a Method advocate. The best part of using green bags? You get money BACK from Whole Foods and Trader Joes for not using paper. The worst part? Running out of plastic bags used to clean the litter box. I’ve got to figure out a green way to dispose of kitty refuse. Any suggestions?
fabulous gift idea!
excellent idea!
I’ve been using my old canvas beach bags for awhile now. I wrote about it here: http://rti.serveblog.net/wordpress/index.php/2007/09/27/accidental-gre ening-in-which-i-embrace-my-inner-cheapness-and-laziness-in-the-pursui t-of-simplifying-my-life/.
Along with e-bills.
I also bought a couple of bags at my local Extra Foods (I’m Canadian) for 98 cents each. Safeway here sells them for about the same, but they’re bigger. I may buy a couple for that reason alone.
Although, I never thought about giving them as gifts. Good idea.
I gave up plastic bags for Lent last year, but I love my reusable grocery bags so much, it probably didn’t count. Sometimes it is easy being green.
Great idea! I sew new ones every holiday season to wrap gifts in, but I’ve never thought of filling them with more bags for the recipients to reuse.
what a great idea. i bough 5 of these types of bags from our local albertsons. now if i can remember to keep them in the car when i go shopping. :(
GREAT!!!!!!!! I am so happy that I am not alone in doing all that I can to go green!! This bag idea is wonderful!!!
What an excellent idea! I think I will be stealing this idea myself… and here’s to hoping many others will, too! (It looks like many already are!)
So, would it be considered tacky if I gave away those cheap plastic bags I get for free from Walmart every week as Christmas presents?
How about if I only give them to my mother-in-law?
Green bags are very common here - we keep them in the car all the time so that they are always there.
I buy tote bags for $0.25 or so at yard sales, and have several from conferences. I love the look on the face of the cashiers at hugefacelessboxstore when I refuse their plastic bags. It drives me crazy when I see them put a gallon of milk in a plastic bag all by itself. Isn’t that unnecessary and redundant?
Very cool idea Iz.
My family & I recycle bags on holidays. We resuse gift bags. But I have a good idea that I started - I save all my son’s drawings, art work, etc… Obviously you can’t keep them ALL FOREVER. So I keep the special ones and the others I use to wrap gifts.
Then they get something neat and personal & it’s recycled!!!
Great idea, and I’ll use the bag gifts as wrapping paper and place items in them instead of wasting paper. Thanks. Dorothy from grammology
call your grandma
How about a reusable gift bag you can track via the Web?
http://wrapsacks.com/
Great idea! I was just toying with the idea of getting canvas or nylon shopping bags for a few close friends before we meet to go outlet shopping. They’d love it, and they’d use them over and over.
Fabulous, fabulous idea. That way even if I’m not environmentally responsible I can make other people feel guilty about not being green either.
I may have missed the point.
Thanks for the links! I’m going to post a list of places to get great deals on bags when I get a chance.
There are really cute 100% cotton reusable bags at http://www.minusbags.com. They’re very stylish and come in colorful designs and only $16, and if you buy 3, you get one free. Perfect for gift giving!