B.Y.O.B.
Did you know that Americans throw away 100 Billion plastic bags annually and only 1 to 2 percent get recycled. Plastic bags represent 2.7 percent of NYC’s residential waste stream? That means we throw away more than 90,000 tons of plastic bags every year!
To combat this, earlier last year San Francisco banned plastic shopping bags. Oregon, Oakland, Annapolis, Boston, and even New York are considering following suit, or imposing legislation (like a tax) to help the cause.
So why wait until you’re forced to BYOB. Use your own bags now. You can buy them at your nearest grocery store, nearest Anya Hindmarch botique (though it seems these bags only “created a frenzy of long lines and eBay sales are mostly for tools who carry them around as purses and then collect plastic bags from Forever 21 and Whole Foods,” per mitch), or online.
I particularly enjoy these made from recycled plastic bottles & containers. This bag is also great becuase you can fold it up into the size of an ipod and carry it with you everywhere in case you need a bag on the go.
UPDATE: As of Earth Day, April 22, Whole Foods will stop using plastic bags. Hopefully more stores will follow suit.