BYOB (Bring your own Bag)

If you know me at all, and most of you do, you might recall that I have become passionate about recycling. It all began in my environmental studies class at Fresno Pacific. Kelly and I sat together and enjoyed the passion that is Will Friesen and Michael Kunz. They made recycling fit into the biblical stewardship model that I have come to embrace. Thus commenced my reusing journey. It has led me to a plethora of places. The picture below illustrates its impact on our kitchen remodel. I insisted on a dual-compartment trash can so that we might sort in style.


Beyond sorting our trash I quickly realized that if I was going to get serious about recycling then I had to closely monitor the packaging materials that enter our humble abode. One household area that created a hulking amount of waste were the plastic grocery bags that I collected bi-weekly. Sure I reused them to line my bathroom trashcans and to help my students clean out the atrocities in their desks, but I wanted to do more. I thought about where I might obtain canvas bags that would suit my needs. My thoughts led me to MCC and their great relief sale in April. So it was that I found the objects of my desire (7 for a mere $25 donation). I quickly put them to use at our local Winco Foods and was promptly rewarded for my efforts. Not only did I not take home a single plastic bag (nor did I tear a bag with those pesky box corners), but I was greeted with a $.06 refund on each bag that I brought from home! It was a glorious day when I discovered the extra $.42 that would be mine after each visit to my favorite grocer. So it is that my recycling endeavors have not only aided my efforts in becoming the biblical steward that I feel called to be, but it has also allowed me to save a few pennies.

Moral of the story: BYOB (Bring your own Bag!)