One simple green thing... reusable grocery bags.

Every time I see an organization or business giving out free canvas bags, people are lined up a hundred deep and yet every time I go to the grocery store, I rarely see anyone using them. Just think how much plastic we could keep out of the environment and how many trees could be saved if most of us made good practice of these reusable bags. Here are some tips to consider....

* Do you have reusable bags and always forget them? Keep them in your car so they are with you always. As soon as you are done emptying them, put them back in the car instead of the closet, or hang them on the front door knob so you remember to take them back to the car.

* No breakage or spills. Canvas bags are strong so you can load as much as you want without worries of your bag tearing and your groceries spilling.

* Save money. A lot of stores give a 5 cent per bag discount if you use reusable bags. Not much - but it helps. More and more communities are implementing a tax/surcharge per bag if you use plastic bags to cut down the use of plastic.

* The square bottom reusable bags usually work the best for groceries, but the unusually shaped bags (book bag or tote style) work well for shopping at the dept store, drug store, home improvement store, or the farmers market.

* Most stores sell reusable bags at a fairly reasonable price. But you can get quite a collection for free. Many organizations and business promote themselves by giving away free bags at fairs, trade shows, and festivals. Take the time to get some freebies. I always ask for extras.

* Spread the movement. Over the last few years I've collected at least 50 free canvas bags. Obviously I can't use them all so I've given them to family members to use. Note: if you give someone 1 bag they probably won't bother to remember to use it, but if you give them a set of 4-5 they will likely start using them right away and get hooked.

* Looking for an inexpensive and unique gift for someone?  Buy them a set of reusable bags from their favorite store. A set of 5 will likely cost less than $20. Stores have put a lot of thought into the design of these bags and they look really cool.

* Free up cupboard and closet space. Donate that mountain of plastic and paper store bags clogging up your pantry closet to your local thrift store where they can be reused.  Many curbside recycling companies don't take plastic bags, but many stores (Kohl's) have plastic bag recycling bins.

This is one simple thing everyone could do that would help the environment greatly. I, for one, am sick of seeing plastic bags littering our beautiful landscape. I'm sick of seeing pictures of wildlife affected by ingesting or getting tangled in plastic. I'm sick of our landfills getting filled with a substance that doesn't easily break down. And I'm sick of the oil industry (plastic is made from petroleum) making billions off the destruction of our planet.

Now on with my quest to get gas stations/convenience stores to put recycling bins next to the trash bins at their gas pumps...