We Must All Do Our Part-Reusable Grocery Bags

Jennifer Moore
Dr. Geraldine McNenny
FFC: Imagining Utopia
7 December 2008
We Must All Do Our Part-Reusable Grocery Bags
Ok, so the environment is definitely a “big deal”, but for most of us out there, we aren’t about to forfeit our cars, our washing machines, and our ways of life in an effort to better the world we live in. To some, the decision not to make drastic changes in the way we consume, use, and dispose of everything in our life may seem so pathetic, so ignorant, and so well for lack of a better word, stupid. However, when attempting to foster change we must look not only at what must be done, but also what can be done. People are essentially driven by selfish motives. Yes, most people still want world peace, a world without hunger, and a sustainable future, but at the same time they are reluctant to change in such a way that dramatically alters their life overnight. In other words, the movement towards a sustainable future and a more eco-friendly world must occur gradually with as little altercation to everyday life as possible. Rather than radicalizing the way in which shop, drive, or operate machinery, we must instead replace old conventions of life with new ones that are easily implicated, practical, and that simplify, not complicate life. One small change that seems to be a growing trend in supermarkets across the country is the advent of canvas, reusable grocery bags. Instead of utilizing the traditional paper or plastic bags that are harmful for air and land pollution, these bags provide an opportunity for the average citizen to make a difference in the environment.
The best type of change occurs when it occurs as a result of the average person doing his or her part. As is often iterated in environmental campaigns, we all must live on this earth together and if we don’t all start caring, none of us will be left. By moving to reusable grocery bags, we can eliminate some of the worst types of air pollution caused by plastic bags and remove them from the parking lots, alleys, and sidewalks where they exist as a blot on the landscape. Of course, many would ask, “well what about biodegradable plastic?” Yet this is not the answer either. Biodegradable plastics, while they are definitely a step in the right direction, they are not an absolute solution because they still take time to decompose and part of their production can still cause air pollution. Then, there’s the question of paper bags. After all, they decompose right? Well, sort of. See the main issue with these is that cause seventy-five percent more air pollution in production and they also encourage deforestation. It seems that with the methods of production and disposal on hand right now, that reusable grocery bags are the best answer today.
In order to better the environment, we must employ the resources of every person around the globe. And, in short we must all do our part. So think about picking up twenty of those reusable bags next time you’re in the grocery store. We can all do something. Check out the impact of grocery bags on the http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9l4GoBsfwTM.