Reusable Bags... A Family Effort
Photo by: Bill Hickman/Surfrider Foundation
Although there are as many different parents as there are children, there is one common denominator…they are all pressed for time. While engaging in environmentally friendly changes is a worthwhile cause, it can be overwhelming for a parent who barely has time to brush their own hair.
Incorporating reusable bags into your daily life can have a big impact on the environment with very little time and financial investment. “Without any special skills, time commitment or radical lifestyle change, anybody can make a difference for our environment by using reusable bags in place of disposable ones.” The reality is it can be inconvenient and does require some forethought. However, “plastic bags don't biodegrade, they photodegrade—breaking down into smaller and smaller toxic bits contaminating soil and waterways.” So, it becomes easy to see how this daily change can have positive impacts for everyone.
Can It Really Be Fun?
Soliciting the help of your children or even your significant other can require some creativity. So, why not be creative make it a group effort and engage in a family “Reusable Bag Challenge”? (Tip: This is a great activity for one of the many rainy, Oregon days.) Here is how it works…
- Purchase a blank cotton reusable bag for everyone in the family
- Each family member decorates the bag in any way they wish
- Identify daily activities where a plastic bag may be used and decide to substitute with your new, trendy reusable bag
- Together, create a chart where you can track a “point” for every time you remember to use reusable bags at the grocery store, library, school lunch time, etc…
- Each week, add your points and reward your family by going to your favorite park for a hike, on a bike ride, or other favorite activity
- Tip: Keep everyone healthy by washing them on a weekly basis.
By recruiting the entire family to participate also makes it a group effort and an avenue for quality family time together. “Each high-quality reusable bag you use has the potential to eliminate an average of 1,000 plastic bags over its lifetime.” You can make a difference. Also consider taking your family activity to your community by incorporating a “Reusable Bag Challenge” at your child’s school. Click on the link to see a kid-friendly, step-by-step manual for how a school in New Zealand went about it: “Reusable Bag Challenge”.
Goldfeld, Anne. (Unknown). “Reusable Bag Campaign”. Jane Goodall’s Roots and Shoots. Retrieved from http://www.rootsandshoots.org/content/reusable-bag-campaign