My dad introduced me today to this documentary short called ‘Bag It‘ about the 100 billion plastic shopping bags we use every year in America. The focus is on a possible upcoming ban on bags in Boston. I get the impression there’s a longer documentary, perhaps? It’s unclear (see below).

I’m not sure what’s going on in your neck of the woods but reusable bags have really taken off around here in the past few years. Err, my impression is that they have. We shop nearly exclusively at our local coops, which tends to be a pretty self selecting group of folks. The ruffians down at the local Price Chopper could be actively distributing plastic bags directly into the river for all I know. I suspect they are, those scallywags.

So yeah, we’ve got the special bags. Actually, we’re lousy with the reusable bags which makes me wonder if we aren’t going to have a new epidemic on our hands in a few years. You can’t go anywhere that isn’t pimping their own logo’d bag. The reusable bag market is a little weird in that way, showing off your affiliations to all the other shoppers. No different than any other thing like clothes or cars. I found myself feeling a little self conscious the other day walking out of the store with the logo of my realtor emblazoned on the front. It’s fine, they’re fine I guess, but what I really want people to see is my Trails Alliance bag. Or my Sierra Club bag so they can see how friggin seriously tight Earth and I are.

The video focuses on groceries pretty hard and I suppose they’re the largest ‘offender’ but why aren’t we bringing our own bags to the Gap too? I don’t know anyone who does that.

Anyway, step your game up if you’re leaving the grocery store with bags they’ve provided. Throw some canvas bags in your car, that way they’re always there when you need them. Note to self; follow own advice, that’s good stuff. I sometimes get caught off duty at the store without any bags. What bags we do accumulate, we try to find a use for. Like lining a waste bin or something.

And when you start feeling good about yourself for bringing your own shopping bags, then you can begin re-enlisting produce bags for another tour, like Amy. When she started doing that I was truly impressed. She popped one out one time we were at the store and I clicked on the stirring music – started applauding\nodding in slow motion. Maybe gave her the knowing wink. I try to avoid putting my produce in a bag at all when I can. Mostly because re-using stuff requires work, and we all know Benny ain’t down with that shit.

Oooh, this is a trailer for the documentary my dad actually saw. A feature length affair with quite a bit more production and excitement.