As you know, I've been telling everyone about the dangers of plastic bags for a long time, maybe two months now at least, and Achim Steiner, the executive director of the United Nation's Environment Programme, has finally jumped on my ban-wagon and called for a ban on the nasty things. Go Achim!

Here's an article from McClatchy that will tell you more but in case you don't have time to read it let me point out one funny thing. The article quotes Keith Christman, of the plastics division of the American Chemistry Council (no self-interest there) as saying that most people reuse their plastic grocery bags (he doesn't say where he got the research on this) so the term "single-use" plastic bags is not really accurate.

That's how he defends the practice of passing them off like hot potatoes every time you visit the store. Like it's okay to strangle a seal if you've used your bag twice instead of once.

When the Coastal Cleanup Day group found them to be the most common piece of trash along the shorelines after cigarette butts last year, they didn't really say if the bags they dug out of the sand appeared to have been used more than once. That's not the point, Keith, and I don't usually like to make fun of people but in this case...hahahahahahahahaha!

Watch this video about the effects of the plastic floating around in our oceans by Algalita Marine Research Foundation, then 86 the plastic and be in compliance with the wishes of the United Nations. Take your reusable canvas bags to the store with you. It gets easier with practice.