The last time I was in the grocery store, the customer in front of me purchased a pack of gum and stamps. These two items could easily be crammed into the pocket of one’s jeans or carried in the palm of one’s hand, yet a plastic bag was provided for the purpose of convenient transporting.

Plastic bags. Pizza delivery. Chinese take-out. To-go boxes. Drive thru windows. Do we really need a plastic bag for a pack of gum and some stamps? In a society run on quick-n-easy conveniences, it seems we have stopped thinking and have become complacent to these everyday actions. While at the check-out counter it’s as if we don’t notice the resources that go into the making of the plastic, paper or individually wrapped Wrigley sticks.

Each of these conveniences contributes to global environmental change. By modifying our behaviors and lifestyles away from these polluting conveniences, we can make a big difference. While it may add a few minutes to my morning routine to stick a coffee mug or container into my bag before going to the café or office, I feel rewarded throughout the day for taking that extra step.

It’s even becoming “trendy” to BYOB - bring your own bag – to the grocery store or farmer’s market. The trick to remembering is to leave a few re-usable bags in the back of your car. While many stores are making money off tote bag sales (I recently entered a target that featured canvas totes decorated with green sayings as the new “hip-gotta-have-it” item of the month), any bag, purse or back-pack will work.

Going bagless is one of the easiest ways to reduce our ecological footprints. So please, next time you're at the store wrap it in peace, not plastic.