Pats on the shoulder from Mamma Nature for me. She hates plastic and so do I.

Salad greens: single-use plastic bag.
Starbucks iced mocha: single use cup, lid and straw.
Apple wireless mouse: single-use plastic case.
My favorite cranberry-orange scone from City Brew: single use plastic wrap INSIDE a single-use plastic sleeve! (GASP)
Leftovers from a restaurant: single-use plastic to-go container. (ask for foil, you can recycle it and it doesn't leak if you do it right, use your brain)
Anything at any deli in any part of NYC: single-use plastic bag...it's just habit at this point for the clerk to put ANYTHING you buy into a plastic sack...even a pack of gum. It's reflex.

We all know plastic sucks, right? By no means would I think that we could completely get rid of it, but we can surely sharply reduce our consumption. Plastic is made from oil....doesn't everyone know that? So as the Gulf of Mexico is taking a beating, I think we owe it to the sea life, people and our country to STOP using plastic as much as possible.  Even if plastic is "recyclable" just know that's bullshit. Very little of the plastic we used gets recycled...it's time to just quit being lazy and get on with life. Plastic ends up in the ocean where it gets eaten by marine life. GROSS Then we eat it. Thumbs DOWN.

My message is....JUST SAY "NO, thank you". And if you work in a store, ask if someone NEEDS a bag for their purchase. Most of the time they don't.

There are so many little things one can do...just take baby steps! If you go out at lunch time and get a fountain soda, you don't really NEED the top OR the straw...just go without if you're eating in. I carry a medium-sized tote bag with me nearly every minute of my life...so now I just carry a medium-sized re-usable (and easily washable) cup in there. In colder times, I carry a hot mug for warm drinks. I love it. I feel good about it. I get to judge others when they're drinking their stupid skinny latte out of a single use piece of shit and I have my re-usable mug with my soy chai in it. Pats on the shoulder from mother nature for me.

watch this, it will help you forgo that stupid straw:
watch me

for more info:
5gyres