Transform your bag habits

Can you feel it? We're in a time of transition: it’s the zone between the old way of living, and the new one that climate change will force us to adopt. It's also a period of discovery and, sometimes, confusion. When it comes to these new changes, misinformation and shifting priorities can bring on intense decision fatigue as we struggle to free ourselves from old habits of convenience, embrace new sustainable items, and settle into new sustainable lifestyle habits.

The last decade of my life has been one big transition. I went from living on the East Coast, single, working as a nurse and renting rooms from friends, to being a wife, a parent and an entrepreneur. All of my priorities shifted. I eventually did learn how to discover my most meaningful priorities and remain aligned with them at all times, but it took some time and dedication through the transition.?

Simple things, like becoming a married adult and parent in a new relationship, and blending that? with my own parents and sibling relationships, were confusing at first. Many of us experience transitions like these, and are able to navigate them successfully. Living sustainably, however, is new for us all. Though many of us had grandparents who lived through the depression, when sustainability was a necessity, our generation wasn’t brought up with specific guidance about exactly how many reusable grocery bags we should own, or how to pack a school lunch– nary a single ziploc.

So, together, we'll figure this out. Each month, as I learn, test, and analyze consumer products and trends, I’ll share my findings– and address sustainability news items so that you have a resource in me and these newsletters, for your successful sustainable lifestyle transition.

We'll start today with reusable bags, specifically shopping totes. I definitely have a favorite and my clients know why. This is one item which people tend to over-consume (or overbuy!). They often pick bags that are inadequate for the task, and therefore not sustainable.

When it comes to reusable bags, here’s what to look for:

• Durability - a bag that will last you years without much work to keep it clean and usable.
• Functionality - I like a bag that has rigid sides. One that will stand up so that groceries are easy to insert and protect. Besides the side walls, I look for comfortable handles. There is nothing worse than long handles digging into your shoulder as you try and carry your haul home…except if your items leak in the bag.
• Fabric - non-woven tote bags are given out at every grocery store, tradeshow and freebee opportunities I’ve ever been to, and they are horrible for the environment. The material is plastic, not washable and has no capability of being recycled or repurposed. Don’t even bring them into your house! Cotton isn’t great either. Despite the fact that you can wash cotton bags, they stain easily and therefore aren’t kept long term.

My recommendation: The eqpd LastBag

Sustainable items need to be ones we want to use and keep for a long time. Made out of durable vinyl, eqpd’s LastBags are meant to be the “last bag” you ever need to buy...thus, the name LastBag. Talk about an ROI for your money! The company was founded by a former Patagonia designer who saw the need to address flimsy and awkward grocery totes. The company is based in Twisp, WA, and brings jobs to the local, rural economy (yet another win-win for this company).?

As soon as I heard about them, I immediately ordered a few samples to test out, and I haven’t gone back to another grocery tote since. I can fill these bags with vegetable stock and cans of beans to the top, and thanks to the built in suspension in the handles, the bag feels effortless to carry. When I bring it home, I wipe it out with a rag and feel certain that the material isn’t absorbing bacteria or organic matter from my produce the way fabric bags do.?

As humans, we naturally get excited about a new way of life, and all the lifestyle changes that come with it. When we join a gym, we’re likely to buy more athletic gear. The same thing happens when we are looking to live more sustainably. We buy more things! After experiencing the LastBag, this irony became readily apparent.?

Sustainability doesn’t have to be hard. It just takes finding the right long-lasting thing that replaces your old short-lived items and making a habit of using it. I don’t need 4 or 5 grocery bags and neither does the planet. You don’t have to go out and buy the LastBag, but you would be remiss to buy another bag instead.