Monday, January 17, 2011

Making a Difference

I just had to share this story of what happened to me today as it is amazing how the little things we do can make an impact on another.  I re-use the plastic produce bags that you get at the grocery store.  I have about 10 that I use along with my re-usable grocery bags.  I reallly want to invest in cloth produce bags, but that would mean throwing away my plastic ones and I just have a hard time doing that. So for now, I re-use what I have. Anyways, I went to Sprouts today and was getting avacados.  I pulled out one of my re-used bags and a lady who was just reaching for a plastic produce bag looked at me with a surprised look and our conversation went something like:

Her: "Wow, good for you!"
Me: "I can't throw them away."
Her: "It's the little things that make a difference."
Me: "I agree.  I have a daughter and I think about her."
Her: "I don't have kids, but I think about all the children and the place they will have to live. Some people just don't care." (I thought - WOW, I like this woman)
Me: "They either don't care about the negative impact plastic bags have on the environment because it isn't physically effecting them now or they don't believe what they can't see."
Her: "Yes, it is sad.  This is the only place we have to live."
Me:  "Yes, so let's take care of it."

Later, I saw her in the store and she came up to me and said "Thanks for opening my eyes today."  To which I responded, "Thanks for noticing!"  What a feeling this was.  It is such a small thing that I am doing and really I don't think that much about it.  But it felt great to have someone notice and maybe she will re-use her plastic produce bags from now on.  I guess we can all be role models and make an impact even with the smallest of things.

2 comments:

CB said...

Love it!

Anita said...

That was a very inspiring story and experience. I always reuse plastics as well. I have them with me whenever I go to the market or malls. I also use biodegradable plastic bags. It saves money and saves our environment all at the same time.