If you want to bring your own bag and there aren’t any being offered in shops in your neighborhood, just take a leaf out of Yu Xiuqin’s book.
Sixty-year-old Yu Xiuqin always gets the attention of other shoppers, some of whom laugh, when she goes shopping. Yu totes a large bag made of worn-out blue jeans, which she uses instead of taking free plastic bags from retailers.
Last month, authorities in the eastern coastal city of Qingdao launched a campaign to encourage citizens to design environmentally friendly shopping bags. It occurred to Yu, a retired textile worker, that old clothes would do the trick.
People everywhere are getting serious about doing their own thing in the name of the environment. That’s the best approach–if you can’t rely on big business to provide the things you need and clamor for, go ahead, step up, and do them yourself! Of course, that doesn’t mean you should ease up on pressuring big business to do what’s right.
