Better idea - encourage parents to buy the reusable tote bags that sell for
99 cents at most stores now. I bought 5 and they are GREAT! They don't roll
over in the trunk. They hold more. They fold up nicely and all store inside
one of them. I keep them in my car so they're always there when I shop.
If she uses them for crafts, they will eventually be thrown away instead of
recycled. And frankly, I think the "recycling" is a misnomer. By the time
the garbage guys pick up my recyclables in their big-gas-guzzling truck (or
pick up the bin from the front of the store) and haul it somewhere (and they
are using gasoline) and it gets sorted (by someone who gets paid) and it
gets melted down (and that means someone is heating up big equipment) and
poured back into some kind of mold or process (more heat and labor) and
folded or packaged or boxed and lifted and loaded and delivered (more labor
and gas) as something new, my guess is a LOT more energy (and time) has been
invested (or wasted, depending on your point of view).The best thing we can
say about recycling bags is that they don't end up in landfills or loose in
the environment inside a sea turtle, etc. Let's not forget that (most)
plastic bags are made from PETROLEUM products. Or, we could make gasoline
from them - take your pick. I'd rather have the gasoline.
I reuse my old plastic bags at work for emergency rainy day bags for the
kids to transport their library books in so they don't get wet on the way
back to class - we have classrooms that open directly to the outside and
when it rains (which does happen occasionally here in "Sunny" California)
the bags help. I've used the same bags now for several years (the kids
return them).
By the way, it is chic to "tote" - even Macy's has a tote bag to shop with
now!
Joanne Ladewig (A.K.A. "Library Lady")
Library Media Tech
Lawrence Elementary, GGUSD
Garden Grove, California
shatz@verizon.net
Comments are my own and may not represent the views of GGUSD
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