Bethlehem Goes Green! Recycling & Green Living Tips

Take the Zero Plastic Bag Week-Long Challenge

For one whole week, decline the plastic bag and try bringing and using your own cloth or mesh bag at each and every store you enter.

I must admit, I've become accustomed to using my cloth bags at the grocery store, but I haven't gotten into the habit of using them at all the other stores. The strange thing is, I always keep my bags in the car, but I just don't think to bring them into CVS or Stewart's.

You may be surprised at just how challenging this task might be. I'm even talking about the produce and vegetable bags - the Macy's and Sears bags, and the dentist bags containing floss and a shiny new toothbrush. EVERYTHING!

Toss a scratch piece of paper and pen in the bottom of one of the bag and tally how many bags you didn't take because of your zero plastic bag policy.

I want to hear your results! Leave a comment below and let me know the number of bags you didn't use and we'll compare results.

Good luck!
-Leslie Trosset

Update 3/27/09

The very next day after I set up this challenge I walked right out of CVS with one of their plastic bags. It wasn't until I got home that I realized what I had done! Other than that, I brought my reusuable bags with me everywhere I went - grocery store, Lowes, Stewart's and others. I have to say - it felt good knowing that I returned home without the plastic. I'll continue each and every day - and I hope you will too. Leave a comment and let me know how it's going for you!

What Environmental Mess are We Leaving for Our Children?

This powerful speech to the United Nations by a Canadian girl back in 1992 has been circulating the web. Thank you to Kristin Devoe for sharing it with me.

We as a society, we as Bethlehem parents and citizens, cannot continue on this destructive path of polluting the environment, the air we breathe, the water we drink, the food we eat.

Please try to become a little greener everyday because it will make a difference. And when you head out to work on Monday, if you employer isn't following the 3 R's (reduce, reuse, recycle), plead with them to start.