From Concept to Reality

by Uncle Bear

After reading Melissa Napier’s excellent essay “Plastic Bags,” in the Foothills Transition newsletter, September 2012, my thoughts were, “What a great concept. Imagine my not using plastic grocery bags (PGBs). I bet I can do this.” Then reality set in.

What would I do without PGBs? While I grew up before they existed, now they’re an integral part of my daily life. Stop using PGBs? Was it possible? Slowly I began to develop a plan to do just that. Three days later I put it in motion.

Standing in a checkout line with four small items I smiled. My purchases would fit nicely in the tote sack I carry.  This would be, “One small step in reducing my use of PGBs, and one giant leap toward helping save Mother Earth.”

Arriving home I realized I would have immediately put the (now offensive) PGB to use. “Now what am I to use? And, what am I going to do when my stock of PGBs was exhausted and I had no replacements?”  were my thoughts. Because I save and use plastic bread wrappers (PBWs), it occurred to me, I could try substituting a PBW for a PGB.”  With childlike amazement I watched myself easily make the switch.

In the final analyses how close to “PGB free” can I become? I don’t know. I do know, however, I’m enjoying all the challenges connected with trying.