I cringe every time one of my roommates come home with new plastic shopping bags from the grocery store across the street. Ok, I agree that sometimes it can be hard to remember to bring your own shopping bag but really, all it takes is a little effort and soon it becomes a natural habit. Especially if you leave the house with the specific intention of going grocery shopping (like one of my roommates does every Saturday morning), how inconvenient is it to bring along a couple bags from the stash that fills an entire cupboard full? I admit that I still use plastic bags, there’s no doubt about that, but the plastic bags I use are ones that I reuse over and over again until a hole appears or the handle breaks. What I don’t do is get new plastic bags every time I make a purchase. I already have lots of old plastic bags from the past and I try to use them instead of accumulate more. On most occasions I’ll have with me one large cloth bag and 2 smaller bags whenever I go out. I like carrying big purses, and as this is the current fashion trend for many women around the world, carrying along a couple extra bags poses no inconvenience at all. I mean really, they’re small, light, compact, and they could save you from many potentially disastrous situations.

In addition to the major retail chains that are cutting down on the number of plastic bags given to customers, I’ve also noticed some smaller clothing and shoe stores are starting to switch to cloth bags as well. These bags are usually thin and plain looking, and may or may not have the store’s name printed on it, but they get the job done and, more importantly, are better for the environment. Another trend that has become more apparent throughout Hong Kong is small, compact nylon bags, which makes carrying one with you even more convenient. Most of the ones I’ve seen come in a variety of colourful designs and sell for as cheap as two Canadian dollars. One of my favourites is a design that folds up into the shape of a strawberry, making it trendy for even the young fashion-conscious teenager to look cool while shopping and doing her part to protect her planet.

Prior to the launch of the recent “Every Day No Plastic Bag” campaign, Hong Kong had done a relatively successful job creating awareness of the city wide campaign to reduce the use of plastic bags. Although some shoppers complained they were not aware of the new practice and said there should be a longer transitional period to ease shoppers into the habit of carrying their own shopping bags, I think the public was given more than enough time to get used to the fact that many retailers would soon be holding out on giving away plastic bags. I mean, if shoppers were given a 5 year transition period in which the city made a consistent effort to encourage consumers to use less plastic bags, people would still claim they were unaware of the campaign and these people would most likely be the shoppers who use plastic bags carelessly and who are too ignorant to notice the posters and cloth bags hanging for sale at every checkout counter they pass.

When I was in one of the Wellcome supermarkets this past weekend I noticed a large banner hanging above the store exit reading “Love Hong Kong. Use Less Plastic Bags”. Strategically placed so that you can’t miss it while you wait in line to pay for your groceries, the banner prompted me to once again wondered how shoppers could even pretend not to have been aware of the city’s no plastic bag campaign, which has been in effect ever since I arrived in Hong Kong nearly 7 months ago. Even if they were too distracted to notice the posters, banners, and cloth bags all around them, they surly would have heard the cashier ask them if they needed a plastic bag because that question almost always follows the customary greeting a cashier gives a customer.

What began as a weekly campaign has now turned into a daily effort among retailers and grocers of the Hong Kong Retail Management Association to decrease the number of plastic bags given to consumers. On March 3, about 2,000 retail stores in Hong Kong joined together in a campaign to keep Hong Kong green by encouraging customers to use less plastic bags and bring their own bags. When I read about the campaign, many news articles said stores would “ban” plastic bags or would not give bags to customers unless they were requested, but I was curious as to how consistent these stores would be in enforcing these new practices, so of course I had to see for myself and made it my weekend mission to go shopping and do a little investigating. Over the weekend I visited about 3 major grocery stores and overall I was quite satisfied with what I saw. Some stores had their stash of plastic bags completely out of view while others still had them on top of the checkout counter but only gave them out after asking the customer if they needed one. I witnessed a couple shoppers whip out their own bags and smiled when I saw another customer decline a bag for her 2 item purchase. So far so good Hong Kong!

In terms of clothing stores, I have yet to do a detailed investigation of their bag practices since the launch of the “Every Day No Plastic Bag” campaign, but rest assured it won’t be long until I have a report for you!

We’ve heard the grumblings, but a ban on plastic bags just “isn’t possible”. The plastic bag has been successfully outlawed in some cities in North America, and recently China announced a committed effort to all together getting rid of these convenient little buggers. A year ago, Toronto city council expressed a desire to cut back on plastic bag use, too, and major grocery stores agreed. A tax imposed on stores who provide bags was suggested. Making it possible for the city to recycle plastic bags was mentioned. Reusable cloth bags are now offered for a small fee. But a ban in Toronto? Never!

Ontarians use 2.5 billion plastic grocery bags a year. That’s 7 million bags each week. Four bags, per person, per week. My house, especially right now after the holidays, has been infiltrated. My Ikea Rationell plastic bag dispenser is no longer sufficient. My street, after the big melt this week, is now littered with them. They’re in the trees, stuck in the mud, blowing in the wind (and not in the poetic American Beauty way). It’s disgusting.

In May, we were urged to participate in a “voluntary program”, with incentives like Air Miles points for opting out of plastic bag use, as well as re-training cashiers to double-bag less often and to put more items in each bag. We were informed that if these suggestions didn’t produce the desired results (the goal is to cut the use of plastic bags in half by 2012), tougher measures would have to be taken. I’m shaking in my boots, but with anticipation, not fear.

I’m a single gal, living on her own, and I grocery shop roughly once every two weeks. Besides the reusable cloth bags that can be purchased for a buck, I’ve haven’t seen any of these other measures put into place. Sometimes, it’s the exact opposite. Once, I specifically asked not to receive a bag, twice, and the robot cashier still placed my items in a polystyrene beast. She apologized, saying it’s hard to break the habit. But really, how hard can it be?

The buzz today is China’s decision to ban plastic bags completely as of June 1st. China has been fairly vocal about their recent environmental reforms, and I’m assuming it’s got everything to do with the fact that they’re hosting the Summer Olympics this year. Whatever their motivation, at least they’ve taken a stand on this seemingly (to me) no-brainer issue. If given the choice, most people will go for the more convenient option. So, ban the bags, dammit!

Don’t be too ambitious. Honestly. The risk of us being completely overwhelmed by all the things we ’should’ be doing right now is very real.

We ’should’ have bought fewer Christmas presents. Guilt. We ’should’ have idled our cars less during the recent cold snap. More guilt. We ’should’ have remembered to invite Great Aunt Helga to the family Christ-mas dinner. Guilt on top of guilt.

Muzzle that voice for awhile, take on just one new green action–and feel good about it.

Take a moment to think about your life and you might easily think of a change you’d like to make (such as using a reusable coffee mug or eating less meat). But in case you need a little help getting started, here are a few tips gleaned from SustainLane.com,onesimpleact. alberta.ca and our own Calgary Herald Archive brains (we’re feeling better already):

1. Lose the litter. Start using a reusable mug every time you buy coffee. reusable bag that will fit in your calgary.ca or call 311 and ask for You’ll likely save some money, purse or pocket–and use it. Also your nearest location), because they too, as many establishments give a store a couple of reusable bags in your shouldn’t even go in the landfill. discount if you provide your own car. When you use them, put them

2. Try to travel to work once a week by anyway other than a single-occupancy vehicle.

Generally, the lowest effort way to do this is to find a carpooling buddy who lives near you, works near you and works similar hours.

If we ever dig ourselves out from the white stuff, find your bike, visit calgary.ca and search ‘Park ‘n’ Bike’ and start saving big bucks on downtown parking.

Or, avoid the stress of unplowed streets by taking the streetcar, train or the bus.

By cutting back on driving even just one day a week, you significantly lower your carbon footprint and save money on gas. And pedalling to work can help with another common resolution: losing weight reusable bag that will fit in your purse or pocket–and use it. Also store a couple of reusable bags in your

car.When you use them, put them straight back in your car. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Americans use nearly 400 billion plastic bags a year.

4. Banish incandescent light bulbs. They’re costing youmoney.

Stock up on compact fluorescent light bulbs (CFLs) and get ready to relish the peace of mind that comes with knowing that your newbulbs will last for up to 10 years (thatmeans less teetering

on chairs and ladders).

5. Saygoodbye to standby. Turn things off–truly off. For the uninitiated, plugged in and on standby doesn’t mean off. Untold millions of dollars are wasted lighting empty rooms and keeping gadgets plugged in. A single video gamer can save $100 a year just by turning off their WII or PlayStation rather than leaving it in

standbymode.

6. Buy natural cleaning products that are EcoLogo certified. Conventional products are toxic, pure and simple. In fact, if you decide to clear them out, be sure to take them to a chemical drop-off location (visit calgary.ca or call 311 and ask for your nearest location), because they shouldn’t even go in the landfill.

7. Don’t buybottled water. More expensive than gasoline, bottled water is no cleaner or safer than tapwater, multiple studies have shown. And a couple of the major brands are just filtered municipal tapwater. Use an at-home water filter and carry a reusable water bottle.

8. Buy local. Become your own stimulus package, and keep money in local hands when you can.

9. Learn 10 plant and animal species native to where you live. Know what’s in your own backyard.

10. Evaluatewhereyou’reat by calculating your carbon footprint. There’s a one-minute calculator at zerofootprint.net.

Bonus: If you’re a real go-getter, volunteer to green your workplace or your apartment complex. Or lend a hand at an environmental organization.