Take reusable bags when shopping:
Shopping with a reusable bag is a simple and highly effective sustainability practice. Some stores offer discounts or tokens for customers who use reusable bags, and certain establishments even offer a free reusable bag. But there are even more compelling environmental reasons why shoppers should make bringing their own bag a habit:

• Approx. 380 billion plastic bags are used in the United States every year. That’s more than 1,200 bags per US resident, per year.
• Approx. 100 billion of the 380 billion are plastic shopping bags.
• An estimated 12 million barrels of oil is required to make that many plastic bags.
• According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in 2010, the category of plastics (which includes bags, sacks, and wraps) was recycled at almost 12 percent.
• Thousands of marine animals and more than 1 million birds die each year as a result of plastic pollution.
• The United Nations Environment Programme estimates that there are 46,000 pieces of plastic litter floating in every square mile of ocean.
• Plastic bags are often mistakenly ingested by animals, clogging their intestines which results in death by starvation. Other animals or birds become entangled in plastic bags and drown or can’t fly as a result.
• Even when they photo-degrade in landfill, the plastic from single-use bags never goes away, and toxic particles can enter the food chain when they are ingested by unsuspecting animals.
• Greenpeace says that at least 267 marine species are known to have suffered from getting entangled in or ingesting marine debris. Nearly 90% of that debris is plastic.
• Americans consume more than 10 billion paper bags per year. Approximately 14 million trees are cut down every year for paper bag production.
• Most of the pulp used for paper shopping bags is virgin pulp, as it is considered stronger.
• Paper production requires hundreds of thousands of gallons of water as well as toxic chemicals like sulphurous acid, which can lead to acid rain and water pollution.

What are some ways to get into the habit of remembering to take bags to the store?

• Keep the bags on a hook near the front door.
• Put coupons inside your reusable bags.
• Purchase a bag that is small enough to hook to a keychain.
• Keep one set of bags in the trunk of the car and one at home.
• Purchase a bag that can be rolled up and shoved in a purse or backpack.
• Get a bag that is so cool you want to take it everywhere.
• Put a big sign on the inside of your door as a reminder to "Remember Your Bags!"

Post-It Two Times!
While the standard colorful post-its can be recycled, they fall under the "mixed paper" category and do not contribute to the cost savings generated with white office paper recycling. Try this: cross out the previous message on an old post it, fold it over, and voila! The post-it can be used again!

Lunchboxes & bags:
They come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but more importantly, they help reduce excessive packaging and encourage healthy eating. Plus they can always double as a take out container. From the Scooby Doo lunch pail hiding in the garage, to the circular Bentobox varieties with many little compartments, there are re-usable lunch containers out there that are right for anyone...and they're sustainable too!