Yes, you read that correctly: Charleston County Recycling is now accepting all plastics for curbside pickup! This means you can start throwing plastics labeled #3, #4, #5, #6, and #7 into your blue bin along with the #1 and #2 plastics. They will accept all plastics except plastic wrap, plastic bags, and Styrofoam (all things [...]

A big part of charting our family’s progress is keeping track of the “since we’ve used” items (3 years since we’ve used paper napkins, 2.5 years since we’ve used plastic bags, 2 years since we’ve used bottled water, etc). There seem to be many things that end of up in the landfill after once use, [...]

Many years ago as a professional ballet dancer, I carried my ballet shoes in a string bag. My pointe shoes needed air after those long rehearsals. I remember shopping with a fellow dancer and watching her dump out her shoes in the car and then refill her mesh bag with apples and oranges. My current [...]

Whole Foods Markets across the U.S. will be celebrating Earth Day by eliminating plastic bags. Once the store on Houston Northcutt Boulevard uses all of its supply, there will no longer be a choice of paper or plastic. Hooray! What a great way for this company to set an example. Disposable plastic bags are an [...]

I just got an email from A Single Bag, a company trying to save the planet one reusable bag at a time. The North Charleston business is making these bags from fully recyclable (not here) polypropylene, which means they are durable and waterproof. And while I can’t vouch for the bags personally (send us some!), [...]

Have you noticed? I certainly have. Shoppers using their reusable bags. When I first gave up plastic bags, I felt like I was on a lone crusade here in Mt. Pleasant. No longer. These days I watch baggers fill all sorts of reusable bags. Whether a bag from The Little Green Bag Project, a Better [...]

Are you becoming obsessed with plastic bags yet? I am. The bag phenomenon is everywhere. I mean, I’m hooked on my own canvas bag. Jen is blogging about becoming the “crazy bag lady”, and the other Jennifer started a project that gives them away. Then there’s the numbers: 100 billion each year in the U.S., [...]

The more I read about plastic grocery bags, the more I believe that plastic grocery bags should be banned. Their impact on this planet is destructive and everlasting. Plastic grocery bags are littered everywhere on Earth, from the side of Long Point Road to Antarctica. Maybe you’ve heard about the folks in China who have [...]

Plastic product packaging always seems to end up in the trash at my house, typically because it’s made from a non-recyclable plastic. That’s why I was happy to see that the bag from my portable DVD player’s remote control indicated it was made from Polyethylene Terephthalate, or plastic #1. That means it can be dropped [...]

Plastic bags consumed this year: RbBagCounter.Add(); This morning I blew off sniping photos of poor trash management in favor of playing with my two boys – easy decision. So instead of posting a photo, I thought I’d post this numerical reminder of how blind we are to our consumption. Over 500 billion plastic bags are [...]

Yes! I finally got to see The Little Green Bag Project in action. The Whole Foods in Mount Pleasant was swarming with Saturday traffic, and Jennifer and Mike were handing out bags to anyone willing to use them. As the bags went out, and the donations rolled in, it became clear that this project is [...]

Thanks to everyone for participating in the Go Green canvas bag poll. 40% of respondents are using their own canvas bags unless they forget them…I know I’m certainly in this group. And I appreciate the honesty of the 23% who are still using store bags. I was like that less than a year ago, but [...]

We’re trying to come up with a comprehensive list of disposable items that are designed to be used only once. Often these items can be reused, but most often they go straight to the landfill after their brief blossom of convenience. Around our house, we’ve really been trying to fine tune our greenness and reduce [...]

Looks like Jennifer and The Little Green Bag Project team have been busy. They’ve got two events lined up in the coming weeks, and a stack of bags to release into the wild. Spread the word, grab a bag, and support this important project. July 22nd, 3-6 p.m. – Juanita Greenbergs will be hosting a [...]

People want to make a difference! I just got turned on to The Little Green Bag Project, and I’m stoked. This is what we need. People working together with local businesses to educate and change behavior one person at a time. Awendaw resident Jennifer Mathis started this initiative with 13 sponsors and 300 bags. She [...]