BYOB

Kids are learning the three R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Our guest contributor today is H. Sheafor, a 13-year-old Carolina home-schooler. "Did you know that making plastic bags requires the energy equivalent to 4 million barrels of oil a year? Paper bags use 14 million trees annually."

Reducing the use of these bags is a good start. Milk gallons and bottles of washing detergent are easier to carry by their own handles; no bag needed. If you do need to use paper or plastic bags, you could fold them and put them back in your car right away, for the next shopping trip. You can use them over and over again; when they are worn out, recycle them in bins at your grocery store.

Sheafor says that another solution is to make or buy reusable bags. Trader Joes, Whole Foods and Earthfare have been selling their own shopping bags. Now the major grocery chains are participating, too. Harris Teeter was the first; over a year ago, they began refunding 5 cents for each bag you brought in to reuse. Then they started selling their own large shopping bag, our favorite. Lowes now sells a bag and gives 50 green points for each bag you reuse. Food Lion and Bi-Lo offer their own grocery bags, too; all are around a dollar.

Sheafor suggests: "If you go to Reusable Bags you can find many choices.
Shop around -- find some bags that fit your needs, select the style and buy a few. Make a difference today!" We checked out Reusable Bags; they offer an interesting heavy-duty bag, made from 98% recycled plastic bottles and containers. Acme says that the fabric used to produce one bag contains about 10 recycled plastic bottles or containers. The bag has long and short handles, to carry over the shoulder or by hand, $10. Reusable Bags also carries the neat bags that invert into a small attached pouch that make it easy to stuff in a purse or pocket. Those are really useful.

Thank you for giving us more options, Miss Sheafor. Musicians are also encouraging us, creating videos like "I don't need a bag." by The Abraham Lincoln Story. Cashiers and baggers are now getting in the groove, too. We have noticed recently that they are more agreeable about it, whatever bag we use. After shopping, I hang the empty bags on the doorknob, so I am sure to take them to the car the next time I go out. So tell us how you Bring Your Own Bag (BYOB). What's your favorite way to keep your bags handy?