Green Leaf Report

Yesterday I attended a Green Home and Garden Show. It was a little surreal to see the growing marketplace for green products and services first-hand. I debated with a gentleman over why he thought waterless urinals weren’t as good as very low water urinals (ask me if I’ll ever use a urinal in any ladies room anywhere in these great states, but hey, I can debate anything). I almost signed up for CitizenRe rental solar panels, but decided I’d rather see the factory or other solar source come on-line first. I also, for the first time ever, bought eco-bags for my grocery shopping pleasure. I’ve been looking for some of these, but, until yesterday, had not overcome the $5-$10/bag initial investment required. I had entered analysis paralysis on this several months ago: which bags were made from organically produced fibers? Were they locally made? Was the labor fairly treated? Should I learn to sew and just make some darn bags myself? I hold my eco purchases to a very high standard.
Yesterday, the bags were sitting in front of me, with a huge “organic” label. I bought them. Today, I used these cute little bags at the Whole Foods Store, feeling, I must confess, a little holier-than-thou as I watched the people ahead of me slink out with their plastic little sacks. The Whole Foods Market also gave me a $0.05 credit for each bag I brought. I figure, with this nickel per use, it may take me about 600 uses to recoup the initial investment. So be it; I already told my mom what she’ll be getting from me at whichever gift event comes next (Mother’s Day perhaps?): eco-bags.