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Pondering the green bag hype
By Meg | April 22, 2008
Recently, I was walking the mall with a friend when I spied a display for “green” handbags. They weren’t even that great looking and the tone of some of those displays and ads make me chuckle because they made it seem like by merely buying one of the bags you’d be saving the planet — while in most cases, the real “green” thing to do isn’t to buy an organic cotton bag colored using natural plant dyes. The real “green” thing is to just not buy another bag.
Keep in mind, though, that I’m also the gal with probably a couple dozen bags. The difference is that I bought the bags I have knowing full well that I wasn’t buying them to save the planet. I was buying them because they looked nice on my shoulder, with the exception of some rather utilitarian canvas grocery bags that my husband and I use regularly (yes, we do care about the environment after all).
Then again, maybe if half of the bags I have were made with the planet in mind, then my having so many wouldn’t be quite such a negative impact on the planet. I can see that. I get the whole “Big Mac and a diet soda” philosophy. And I’d love to be able to support a good company while splurging on new bags.
Then again, there’s a good case for buying used bags instead of buying brand new ones.
Ugh. My head hurts just thinking about it all.
Still…
I’m not kidding myself into thinking that I should buy another bag to add to my collection just to be green.
Tags: Bags, Fashion, Green Living, Impressions, Spending Money
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April 22nd, 2008 at 1:16 pm
It’s so lame the new green bag trend. You should see the trendy green bags from Urban Outfitters, Kenneth Cole and the like. They’re cute but like you said the “real” green thing is not to buy another one. Some of the “green” bags at the supermarkets are so tiny … how can one be expected to shelp all their groceries in a kangaroo-type pocket bag? One would need to buy 10 of those “green” bags to carry groceries home.
April 23rd, 2008 at 5:42 am
Gee, you don’t think that this ‘green’ fashion movement is trying to sell us anything do you? Its yet another (hand)bandwagon the marketers are jumping on.
April 23rd, 2008 at 10:41 am
i just re-use the plastic bags that i get at the grocery store…no need to buy a new bag to just tote groceries home…
how many bags does one really need?
April 24th, 2008 at 12:47 am
Hi Sfordinarygirl,
Fortunately, we bought grocery bags when our grocery store was selling nice deep ones. The new ones are a bit puny.
Hi Cybill,
What! You mean that those companies don’t just want to save the planet! ;)
Hi Chris,
Yeah, I’m probably not the best person to answer that last question, but I’ll assume it’s rhetorical anyway. Reusing plastic bags can be a good option, but they never seem to last. I do sometimes use them around the house or send them home with friends, but it’s always tough to find bags without holes in them already.