Check out this page & make the pledge as well:

http://riseaboveplastics.blogspot.com/

That’s what it’s all about!

Everyone should do their part to reduce the plastic bags they use because of all the damage it causes in the water and on land.

I also think people need to reduce the number of plastic bottles they use as 80% end up in landfills instead of being recylcled.  Get a SIGG Bottle or Klean Kanteen or even the new Nalagene bottles.  this will help as well.

Plasic doesn’t decompose, it just stays there for life.

Surfrider Foundation is talking about this at Jack’s shows - if you are in KS for the show, stop by and say Hi! - I’ll be volunteering.

Cheers!

I did the pledge and do you work with surfrider foundation?
Yah, I am a strong believer in stopping plasic’s I have a steal bottle and got everyone else in my family one as well along with travel coffee mugs for when we’re on the go and want to get some coffee we don’t use the plasic or paper cups. Of coarse we haven’t touched plasic bags in almost a year(despite my parents wants we never take them) and use biodegratable garbage bags). It’s sounds like you have the same beliefs. Good to know there are more of us :D
What is KS(besides me Kari-Ann Stauffer)? I hoping to go to the show at UBC, it’s a bit of a drive 4 hours to vancouver and 2 1/2 hours of ferries.

I don’t work for Surfrider, I’m a member.  I just recently moved from Oceanside, CA to Kansas and still really miss rideing waves, having a cup of coffee watching the sunset over the pacific and all that stuff.  There’s nothing like sitting on your board as the sun is coming up, your a little cold and the water is like glass - it’s awesome!

I’m helping out at the Kansas show for Surfrider, but the person who is at all the US shows and runs the booth is named Elizabeth.

She started the Ride Above Plastics blog and this thread under Oceans:

http://www.jackjohnsonmusic.com/allatonce/discuss/viewthread/92/

She does work for the San Diego chapter of Surfrider.  She’s a great resource and if you are at a show stop and say hello.  I only wish there was more I could do, but now that I’m in Kansas I will have to look at other ways to help out - like through Bridging The Gap.

Honestly, I think everyone should be able to see that eliminating the use of plastic bags is probably one of the easiest ways to help the environment. Anyone who doesn’t go through enough trouble just to bring a cloth bag truly just doesn’t care.

Got a story about those nice cloth bags…  this has happened twice in 2 stores.  I bought one bag at wal-mart (forgot my rise above bag).  The sales gy got frustrated, siad these things are a pain and threw my purchas AND the bag in a bag.  I HAD A COW!!!  So we have to go through a little trouble, open the new bag and put the murchandise in it!  Later in the week at Joanne’s Fabric Store I bought 2 of their new bags (great LARGE bags)... once again clerk handed me a plastic bag with the bags in it.

They just don’t get it.  If the companies are going to participate and call themselve GREEN they need to train the staff to encourage - not discourage!

I did find one wal-mart clerk that asked about my Joanne’s bag (they really are great).  She says she always refuses plastic… SHE offered to put my stuff in the bag!!!  You go girl!!!!

I use bags we bought when we lived in California - you can get them at http://www.chicobag.com - they roll up in a little sack with a clip on it and are awesome.

they are $5 a bag, but buy 4 get 5th free.  Pretty cool stuff.

I use them everywhere I go.  Great product and they turn old bags into rugs if you send them in when they are retired.

People in Kansas are really starting to pick up on this.  I would say 50% of the people I saw in line today had their own bags.

Przybylinski - Aug 14, 2008 06:14pm

People in Kansas are really starting to pick up on this.  I would say 50% of the people I saw in line today had their own bags.

50% - that is good!!!  I usually see (maybe) 1%...  It is going to take my local a while to care…  We are nestled in the rural, tree covered, natural area…  the underlying political thought here is: we need more development, why plant a tree - there are enough already, recreation is a motorized sport…  Such a shame that because we are one of the lucky areas that does not have “Urban” problems - the populas WANTS to become more Urbanized…

I would love for a trend of folks to ban together and sell our area for what it is: Natural, place for recreation (walk, hike, bike, run, X-country ski), etc… INSTEAD of what it is not - An urbanized concrete area with every chain store imaginable.  We could also market our area for people who wish not to be all consuming (because we don’t have many stores, there is MUCH opportunity to consume less - and maybe even save a little money)...

Am I dreaming or do I really live here?  I do, I just wish others would grasp the thinking that this area IS good as is and is worth conserving and conservation planning - not just more open space with opportunity for rapid,land raping development…

Hi guys, I’m new here, but I found a great idea on how to reuse the plastic bags you have left over from before you made the switch to cloth.

On youtube look up recycle plastic bags and you can find some vids on how to turn your old plastic bags into a type of yarn. Then you can use it to crochet or knit new sturdy grocery bags, backpacks, dog leashes, or whatever you can think of.

I know that before I made the switch, I had about 100 of them underneath my sink. But instead of throwing them out, I knited them into new bags. I loved that idea!

cool way to reuse your plastic bags.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB1mE8e35UY

you could also set up a booth somewhere e.i. at your local farmer’s market to give out or take in plastic bags to be reused. kind of like the ‘take a penny, leave a penny’ tray at gas stations, but with plastic bags instead of pennies. or if youre in college, set up a booth where students can donate plastic bags, then use the donated bags to make reusable bags, like in the video, and then sell them. use the money toward books, food (locally grown of course), planting a garden, or even donate it.

It’s a slow process, but I have noticed that, more and more, people are asking at checkout IF you need a bag.  I have a bag on wheels that I got at TJ Maxx that is insulated and great for groceries.  Yeah, I look like an old lady, but I don’t care!

I know this is an old thread, but I just wanted to say the I like how some stores charge extra for plastic bags. I haven’t seen it happen too much in the States, but in France, some grocery stores charge roughly 15 cents (USD) per bag. It’s not much, but it’s enough to make some people stop and consider what they’re buying…