The No Paper, No Plastic Phenomenon...

Warning: It's late. I'm tired. You will forgive any grammatical shortcomings in the following bloggage.

It's all the craze these days to see the reusable cloth shopping bags at the checkout in [insert your local store name here]. Ooh, don't they look nice and inviting...green and environmentally friendly...and so many other feel-good descriptive terms. But why? Why in the world would I want to inconvenience myself with having one more thing to worry about before I head to the store? Really. It's bad enough that I have had to give up coupon clipping because by the time I remember to bring them, they have already expired. I cannot remember my half-baked lists unless I make them right before I head out to the store - and that's not even a guarantee that I won't leave it on the counter and drive away. So why pressure myself with one more thing? Why would I want to participate and trouble myself with this "No paper, no plastic" phenomenon?

I would be a hypocrite to say I have gone totally green (despite my inspired efforts), but seeing the impact of our environmentally irresponsible behaviors certainly raises the level of awareness and can change some of the conscious decisions we (or I) make. Change doesn't not have to come in the form of an extreme makeover. Small changes add up - whether they happen in the life of one person or family, or whether they happen in small changes among the masses of our population. Speaking of change...

The changes we make and being environmentally responsible should not be a fad we subscribe to, but a choice we make every day with our actions. It should consist of behaviors we instill in our children and share with those around us about respect for the environment and Mother Nature. Our actions need not be monumental, but rather they can be small compilations of not littering, recycling, choosing to bring your own reusable fabric bags to the grocery store, and a million other little things. I'm certainly not saying we wouldn't all LOVE and advocate monumental changes to be environmentally friendly and "green". I'm just saying if that's a stretch and enthusiasm must be curbed with "realistic" expectations, small incremental changes are still progress.

Here are a few reasons (via the link below) to participate in the "No paper, no plastic" phenomenon...and it extends beyond all the feel-good labels we all love to subscribe to.

http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080506/MULTIMEDIA02/80505016

On that note...I'm going to catch some zzz's before the sun comes up. Until then, I leave you with the quote of the day - courtesy of the kid behind the counter at a rest stop I visited today...

"The day is only as long as you make it."