Not a plastic bag or not a smug twat?
July 26, 2007
Posted by CindyW in : Rants & the Ridiculous , trackback
A friend of mine, who is not particularly fluent in all the new-fangled green trends, had coffee with me the other day. She mentioned that she got forwarded the news about some designer bags selling out like there were no other bags in the world (with the “I am not a plastic bag” print). She commented that though she was not that connected with the current
green movement, this bag phenomenon made her think it was no more than a fad. “Like all fads, it probably will just fade in time,” she concluded.
I see her point, completely. Lately the non-stop launching of new “green” products seems to speak much more about making opportunistic financial gain than making real changes to be green. My cousin Anne has an obsession with bags. She has more than 200 bags, most of which have not seen the daylight since being purchased. She bought the “I am not a plastic bag” bag not because she would ever use it. She fought to the front of the line because she loved the designer. Now the bag sleeps in her closet with the other 200. I highly doubt that she is unique. Some people may argue that the bag displays a green message. Sure, but all reusable bags carry the same message, including the “I am not a smug twat” bag .
Better yet, the very action of actually using your reusable bags at the stores speaks even greater volume. It has been stated by more than a handful of people that green consumerism is still consumerism. Have we lost the true purpose of being green?
My neighbor Jim and Beth never struck me as green until I paid a visit to their home. Right away I spotted the line-dried sheets basking in the sun in their backyard. They love to cook but they refuse to acquire oversized ovens. Jim and Beth don’t have a solar system on the roof, because their electricity consumption is so low that a solar sales rep told them not to do it. Almost every week, they walk to our local farmer’s market with an eclectic assortment of canvas bags, collected from conferences, pledges, fund raiser events. They certainly do not own even one “I am not a plastic bag” bag. Jim and Beth have been quietly living green for 20 years. They don’t have a need to shout “Look, I am green” from the rooftop. This is simply their lifestyle.
Perhaps in the flurry of “green” product acquisitions, we should really sit back and admire people who live a green life quietly without a book deal, a bumper sticker, or new buzzwords. Maybe, then we will find the real meaning of being green. Just my humble opinion.
CindyW at Organicpicks
If you enjoyed this entry, please subscribe to the Organic Picks Blog
Copyright 2007 Organicpicks
Find More Green Products & Reviews..
Comments»
I love your “humble” comment. It disgusts me to see everyone trying to make green off the “green movement.” They better realize they need to do some serious conservation if they want to make positive changes to the environment.
Cindy, Great Post!
I personally feel buying less when it comes to being “Green” is something more should grasp. Green is becoming a money maker and not a cause or movement. Actions speak louder, thanks for the great writing!
I was reading your post on plastic bags and wondered if you could give me a little more info or your thoughts on alternatives. Do you see the reusable cloth bag as the best alternative or are there better ones.
I believe any bags are good bags as long as they are reused. I have seen people bring their plastic bags or paper bags to the store to reuse. Paper bags can be reused many time before they are worn. Then recycle them or compost them. Some people reuse plastic bags until they get dirty. Then they use them as trash bags. Canvas bags are great, because they can be reused many many times and can be washed when dirty. I personally believe in the spirit of the green movement, not the temporary fad the “I am not a plastic bag” bag represents. Conserve and reuse.