ConservingNow Community Change

Our families often debate what to do with old plastic bags or how to break friends and families from using resealable bags (like sandwich bags) at home. Its certainly difficult - the younger generations were raised on resealable bags and therefore, don't often think of discarding them.

In my household, we don't have to pack lunches (yet) so our resealable bag consumption was primarily for fruits and vegetables (or leftovers) in the refrigerator. I would often come home, wash and prepare produce into small plastic bags for convenience when snacking or cooking. We have long since replaced these bags with stackable glass containers. One added bonus? The fuits and vegetables no longer disappear in drawers never to be eaten. Same for leftovers - they get eaten much faster with everyone seeing them as they open the door! Everything is front and center, ready to go. (And for the record - we have the occasional plastic bag hanging upside down in the kitchen to dry!!)

From the blog at Seventh Generation:
Seventh Generation Nation member Bethina, who lives in New York City with her husband and their 5-year-old son, is trying hard to green the family's lifestyle. Her husband isn't exactly sure how this process should work.

Bethina: I'm proud to say that I'm the product of a long line of recyclers. My mom was green decades before the term was invented. Remember how we used to tease her for washing out Ziploc bags and reusing them? Well, she's having the last laugh. I just saw a "Telescoping Plastic Bag Dryer" for people who have caught on to what mom did.

Husband: Sorry, but the way she'd hang those bags from the kitchen cabinet handles to dry was just plain wacky. She couldn't afford new bags?

Bethina: Now that we're in the midst of our own economic crisis, I understand her Depression-era mentality a whole lot better. In fact, she looks like a genius. I fantasize that if she'd have invented this thing, we'd all be millionaires.

Husband: Except no one would have bought it. Who else was washing and reusing plastic bags back then? Not my mom.

Bethina: One of my mom's favorite expressions was, "Waste not, want not." She was always screaming, "Save the paper! Save the paper!" when you were opening gifts so she could reuse it. Talk about torturing a kid. We finally rebelled as teens and ripped away. At least we did put the paper in the recycling bin.

Husband: Can you imagine trying to convince our son, Matthew, to not rip open his presents? He wants to rip open everyone's presents.

Bethina: Speaking of presents, hon, our anniversary's coming up and that bag dryer thingy is only $14.95.

Husband: You really are turning into your mother!

Bethina: You just said you liked the way she economized. Plus, it's such a shame to throw a perfectly good bag away. And Matthew will learn a new way to take care of the planet.

Husband: That thing is a dumb idea and a waste of money. We are not washing out plastic bags.

Bethina: Maybe it's time to start. Have you seen what resealable plastic bags cost lately?