To plastic bag it is human - to not plastic bag it is divine!

Happy New Year! I've been collecting new year's resolutions from friends and co-workers...a lot of changes coming in 2010:

"No more cheese." "Drink more water." "Only drinking on the weekends." "Call my friends and family more often."

But I haven't heard many "environmental" resolutions.

My boyfriend was trying to cut back on his plastic bottle consumption back in 2009 and bought a water filter but when I tried to talk to him about cutting back on plastic bag consumption in 2010 I got quite an argument in response.

Plastic bag use is a very personal matter and for some, a touchy subject. It's like talking to someone about their smoking habit or level of alcohol consumption. Yes, they are aware of the damage plastic bags are causing to the environment but... Yes, they know that they should bring a reusable bag but...

Clearly, using a plastic bag when shopping is a habitual convenience and just like all other habits it will take a 30 day commitment to change.

It has been on the forefront of the green movement for years and yet, surprisingly it is still there. Each year, Americans throw away some 100 billion polyethylene plastic bags. (Only 0.6 percent of plastic bags are recycled.) www.worldwatch.org

You have to start somewhere - and don't be so hard on yourself and give up when you forget and have to use a plastic bag. Just be sure to recycle it.

• I wad up old plastic bags (yes, I've used a plastic bag or two in my past) and stick them in my purse.
• My dad gives me 10-20 convention tote bags and I keep them in the trunk of my car.
• If I find myself in a store without a bag I try to hand carry out what I can. (I get a lot of strange looks from folks but it is worth it.)
• If I have to buy yet another $.50 reusable bag from Trader Joe's because I've forgotten mine than I use the bag as a "gift bag" for the next birthday or special event. Passing it forward so to speak.
• I've gotten my son involved too - we play a game to see who will remember the bag. He gets $1.00 every time I forget and he has to remind me.

Raising awareness doesn't hurt either, many cashiers have commented on my "no bag please" request with a puzzled look on their face only to say "I should try that too".

I've noticed a lot of stores have reusable bags available for purchase (never more than $.50) but aren't promoting them. Next time you are at TARGET ask them for one of their bags and they will take $.05 off of your bill. Even Food4Less has bags available but for some reason they are over in the toiletries isle and not by the cash register - you just have to ask.

Habits can be formed or broken in 30 days so will you take on the January 2010 challenge to stop using plastic bags?!

What is your environmental resolution for 2010?