One Plastic Bag at a Time

Reduce, reuse, recycle - the three R's of environmentalism.

I have drastically reduced the number of plastic bags I use to the point where the plastic bag holder under my sink is half full. It used to overflow with bags. I also have a friend who keeps a keen eye on me whenever she sees me returning from the supermarket on the corner to keep me honest.

I've already covered reuse - kitty litter, wastebasket liners, purse. Just kidding on that last one - for a purse I only use fancy bags from stores I've shopped at once, and only if they have rope handles.

And now ....

Recycle.

Oh, the joy when I spotted the recycling logo on the plastic bag I got at the supermarket yesterday, where I purchased two 2 liter bottles of soda, a carton of milk and some juice. A double bag was in fact absolutely necessary, and the twinge of guilt was alleviated by that wee logo.

Alas, when I checked with the New York City Recycling FAQ page I discovered sadly that although the bag says it can be recycled, New York City says no.

What's up with that?

Perhaps your city is more enlightened - check your local city's website for details.