BYOB

Each year, Americans throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags. (Only 0.6 percent of plastic bags are recycled.) When one ton of plastic is recycled, the energy equivalent of 11 barrels of oil are saved.

Here's a way to make a statement while shopping! BYOB, a Canadian outfit, has a whole line of sassy and sweet canvas bags available in organic cotton or natural cotton. They aren't cheap ($35 for organic) but they are a great way to tell other shoppers to think about their choices. BYOB also makes custom bags which is a great idea for corporate give aways.

Saying no to plastic bags is popular right now, especially here in San Francisco where the city has banned plastic bags at supermarkets. I was lucky to find a thrift store that had a huge crate of used, imported (mostly from Germany) canvas shopping bags where I found a fun Lotto themed bag. Funky and fun, but I think I might be willing to fork out a few more bucks for one of BYOB's creations.