My footprint

I just got back from a rather shocking grocery store trip-more about that later. I've looked at those little cheap reusable bags they sell for only .99 for several months now. I pick them up, turn them over, and always put them back down. They just don't' feel good and I wonder what kind of materials they are made from.

Are they really helping the environment? or are they more big business for people looking to cash in? Just too many unanswered questions and that is why I always put them back down. Not that the alternative is really a better choice. Plastic? ick. I've never liked them! I used to always insist on paper, but as the number of kids grew I just quick asking and tried to get out of the store quickly. They just assume plastic if you don't ask. Last year I need some paper sacks for a project we wanted to do and asked specifically for them at the store. The bagger seemed annoyed? and had to look for them? Was paper really so weird?

-did I mention, I recycle all those bags they give me? I have a huge bagful of them waiting to be taken back to the place they came from.

Today I came home and decided I would look them up online. I was shocked to see that one can easily pay $40-$80 for some reusable bags. HEH?! Those are for people with more money than brains. This girl doesn't happen to be one of them. This girl is thrifty and quite resourceful. I remembered something...I can sew! I so rock!

When I typed in "sew your own reusable shopping bags" I scored the mother load! More sites than I can shake a stick at tell me how to go about sewing one of those bags. Then I had another duh! moment. I don't need no stinkin' pattern. I know how to make my own one of those too!

Why do I so willingly shut my brain off?

I'll let you know what comes out of today's thinkfest. maybe I'll teach The Older One to sew. Which reminds me of something else we saw at the store today. A sign advertising sewing classes. It caught our attention cause it was done with Halloween designs. Wonder if they did that on purpose.

At first I thought great! only $11 bucks. That's cheap. Then when I reread it I realized that was per lesson. duh. 10yo said she'd rather learn for free. Oh, I love that child.

Oh, which totally reminds me of what I started to write about in the first place. While looking at those patterns online, I found a little linky to a carbon footprint quiz. I wish mine were better, but still I fair better than the average american. Take a look. Try it yourself. Then click back here and let me know how you did.