byoc?

Wowzers! I've been mulling over this very idea for quite some time now! In fact, I've had many friends (you all know who you are, too!) make fun of me with lines like "so you did remember to bring your Tupperware to the restaurant, right? No stryofoam for you!" with a wink and a nudge. But honestly, this is one thing I've never really been able to do. Oh oh oh! This could be my 2011 eco-challenge! Oh oh oh! Hmm... and the wheels they start a spinnin'! The idea is taking a reusable container to restaurants with you! - BYOC (bring your own container!) And Takeout Without is leading the way!

Now, I'd see this more so as an "after you've eaten at a restaurant and have leftovers to bring home" kind of thing. I'm not sure how you'd do this with a situation like calling in takeout? "Hold on, I'll stop by and bring you some Glad ware, and then I'll come back to pick up the food a little later!" But for leftovers, this would work great! It's just the same ole' "what will people at the restaurant/the waiter/waitress/friends I'm dining with/chef/my grandmother/God think of me bringing along a container for my leftovers? Will I embarrass myself?!" Well, God would love the idea! He's all for the planet, don't you know!

Wait a minute, though. That's the exact same thought process I once had towards reusable bags! Or telling my friends and family I no longer use paper towels! And I've moved way past any of those uncomfortable feelings. You don't like my reusable bag? Well, suck my five fingered fist of plastic bag freedom! No paper towels in the house make you sad? Get out and don't come back! No, not even for Christmas! In fact, especially not even for Christmas! (I'm working on my anger issues, ok?) So this might be just as easy! Don't like me pulling out my reusable takeout container in the restaurant? Put'em up! We're gonna fight! Steak knives and broken wine glasses for weapons! (Still working on those anger issues. It's only been like two sentences, what did you expect from me, an anger-free miracle?! Cause it ain't gonna happen, mister! You hear me! Oh no, wait, not again... count to ten, count to ten.)

So check this out from Takeout Without's website:

"Say no to unnecessary packaging. Fill your stomach. Not the landfill.

It takes approximately 20 seconds to put our food into take out containers. Convenient? No, it's actually inconvenient since the packaging can remain in our landfills forever, causing continued damage to us and our world. The American population tosses out enough paper bags and plastic cups, forks and spoons every year to circle the equator 300 times. TakeOutWithOut exists to help you to fill your stomach, not the landfill.

Our actions can be powerful! Every little bit counts. We can't aim for perfection, but we can aim for improvement by saying NO to unnecessary packaging and even toting our own reusables. TakeOutWithOut - enjoy your food, save your money, improve your health and help our planet!"

For all the details, go here! What do you think of this idea? Lust it? Hate it? Have you done this? Ever got into a fight with someone and used steak knives and broken wine glasses? (If so, who won, and do you still have both of your eyes?) Let method lust know what you think of Takeout Without! Could this be your 2011 eco-challenge?

bless her bag

So I did a little trip to Walmart tonight (have I told you recently how much I hate that place? Oh, I have? Ok. Then why did you go there tonight, Nathan? Well, let's just move on, alright...) and picked up three things. A box of cereal and two frozen dinners (Special K and Health Choice! Ah, and you thought I was being all bad with my eating.)

Went up to the register, and waited in line, pulled out my reusable bag all ready and in hand. Now, I haven't had a peep from anyone concerning reusable bags in a long, long while! Yay! And this wasn't REALLY about the reusable bag, but still. Ahem. - Get to the counter, the elderly woman (hold that thought) started ringing up my cereal and SLAP into a plastic bag it went. Picture this. I'm on the left. Register and cashier in the middle, endless merry-go-round of plastic bags on the right. So I politely said "Ma'am, you can just put that in my own bag I brought." Trying to be nice, ok?

Ignoring me, she continued ringing up my meals, and reached over for the plastic bag again, and I said (getting worried here) "MA'AM! I have my own bag." And she said "I know you have your own bag! I've already started putting your stuff in this bag!" as she was (luckily) pulling out my cereal from the plastic bag. Then as if to just get in one last little bit she said "anyway, you're bag is supposed to be in this area at all times" pointing to the merry-go-round of bags. She shoved the stuff in my reusable bag (I could definitely feel some sort of reusable bag hostility going on) and I said very loudly as I'm punching in my debit card numbers "I'm just trying to save the world a little bit here!"

And with that I walked out. Hey, it wasn't a big thing, small in fact. But for some reason it got under my skin. But hey, I had to simply say to myself "Bless her heart, she's like 350 years old. She's just tired is all." and let it go.

Those of you who are from, or have lived in the South and know exacty what people REALLY mean when they say "Bless your heart" down here, well, they'll know what I was really thinking...

and the winner is...!

It's time to announce the big winner of our Baggu Bag contest! The winner, chosen from wonderful randomness which may or may not include spinning a wheel with everyone's name on it, playing a game of Eenie, meenie, minie, moe, and or taping everyone's name up on the wall and spinning in a circle, blindfolded while pointing is... Ann Marie (AM)! Congratulations! Send me your mailing information to my email address, and I'll get your Baggu Bag and tiny bonus method gift right out to you!

A special thanks to Baggu Bags for helping make this contest possible! And even more thanks to everyone for being a part of the contest! Don't fret if you didn't win, cause method lust is about to have another contest! Wha?! Who?! How?! Would you happen to have any Grey Poupon?!

No! But we are about to have a method aircare contest! Aircare is back again! Well, but like just for this short contest, then it's pretty much gone again. Forever. So uh, yeah, continue your depression jag. But while maintaining said depression, check back oh so soon for the method lust aircare contest!

danny's discovery

Danny, Danny, Danny. Admit it. You don't really read method lust, do you? Oh, you might skim a post here or there, but really, really read it, no I don't think you do. Because if you did, you'd know I've been screaming the wonders of Baggu Bags for well, 2 years now! (Psst - I'm just giving method's Green Co-Conspirator, Danny Seo, some humorous jabbing. Why?)

Cause over on his personal blog, Daily Danny (full up on lots of grand green stuff!), he's finally discovered the greatness that is Baggu Bags! Danny writes:

"Twice a year in NYC is the New York International Gift Fair. It’s when designers/vendors and buyers collide and when decisions are made what home, beauty, and anything else you can pick up in a department store, catalog or gift store will be made. There is literally hundreds of thousands of items, some beautiful, some inventive, some eco-friendly and some outright what-are-they-thinking? worthy. This post is dedicated to the greener and better products I found this week.

Reusable tote bags have become like building a better mousetrap. Sure, everyone has as reusable bag and every store is selling all different types. There are plenty of terrible bags: the ones that barely hold anything or they rip after a few uses or have the giant SAFEWAY SUPERMARKETS logo emblazoned on the side. Not cool. So, the hunt for a pack of reusable tote bags that are sturdy, colorful, lightweight and can hold a whole cart’s worth of food may be over with these Baggu Bags.

All five of them fit into a tiny little bag. Because the nylon bags “memorize” the crease marks, they are very easy to fold right back up into tiny little squares. Each bag can actually hold up to 50 pounds each, meaning you can haul 250 pounds worth of groceries to and from your car to the house. The biggest question is: why on Earth are you buying 250 pounds of groceries?!? That question for another day…"

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You'd think Baggu Bags were paying me for all the endorsements I seem to give them here on method lust! But no! (But uhm, Baggu, if you're reading this and just wanna send me free bags for spreading the word, I'm always open to that option! Ha ha!) Just like my ridiculously unhealthy love for method products, Baggus also hold a special place in my heart (which could be why there's no room for a boyfriend! Between method and Baggu, and maybe comic books (hey, I went to college to be a comic book illustrator, ok, so stop making fun of me!), there's no more room! Sorry guys! Yeah, yeah, that's what I'm gonna tell myself when I'm all alone this Valentine's day! That'll do the trick...oh, I'm so off topic here!) They're just really, really, really (one more time) really awesome bags! Of course everyone has their favorite brand, and I know there are lots of nifty styles and types out there; but for me, it's gotta be Baggu!

Be sure to read all about the other discoveries Danny found at the NY Gift Fair (man, I bet it would rock to go to something like that!); and be sure to give Baggu Bags a try! I bet you'll lust them as much as I do!

And if you've got a favorite reusable bag/tote you use all the time, drop a comment and give us the name and website/where they can be purchased! Let's spread the resuable bag love!

are you a good bag, or a bad bag?

Intriguing! Walmart is currently doing reusable bag testing in a select number of their stores, where you are REQUIRED to purchase a reusable bag (or bring your own!) View the video here (embedding has been unfortunately disabled!) Then come on back. Don't worry, I'll wait. I have a cup of hot tea and some mint M&Ms to keep me busy til you get back...

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So, what do you think? Personally, I think it's a great idea (to a point!) If people won't do it on their own (and we all know the majority of Americans. They don't do anything unless they're made to! Wait, did I just say that?) than just make them buy the bags. My only problem with this "solution" is something people don't always keep in mind. Reusable bags can become just as much of a problem as plastic bags, if the situation isn't kept in check. If someone went to Walmart and bought a new set of reusable bags every time, well, that's just wasteful. And landfill-ful, after a while, too. I have seven reusable tote bags. Six regular size, one oversized for big purchases. And that's it. That's all I need. I resist (most) urges to take more, when they're given to me (unless they're method totes! Then I just grab! Ha ha!)

But I remember when I first starting doing the reusable totes thing, it was hard at times for me to remember my bags, also. Now I ended up carrying the items out in my arms, bagless. Sort of a "punishment" to remind me to bring my bags with me next time. But I can see how after a while people might either get frustrated from having to buy them multiple times, and that will help them remember; or they'll just finally get into the habit.

What I'm NOT a fan of is Walmart's low-end cheap reusable bag "that will tear after a while." They're completely missing the entire point! But then Walmart equaling cheap? Who would have guessed! Ahem... But hopefully they're on the right track, and people will catch on with time.

Thoughts?

it all adds up!

As much as I preach, beg, and scream about using reusable bags whenever you go shopping, to the grocery store, anywhere you might be subjected to the "paper or plastic (or SHUDDER, just plastic!)" question; it hasn't been the easiest thing to get people to convert. I mean, what do THEY get out of this deal? Saving the planet, ending global warming, helping Mother Nature? Bah! Who's got time for that! Show me the money!

And so, places are starting to do just that! Ok, so you won't get rich from it, but hey it's a start! And Target has joined the bandwagon! Starting recently, every time you use your reusable bag/tote, they'll take off five cents from your total purchase! I know, I know, five cents?!? Come on! But I'll bet you it's the cost of that plastic bag you're about to walk out with. So it's sorta a little bonus, you know? You save them five cents, and they give it to you! AND, just imagine, if you're as much of a Target shopaholic as I am; and you start counting up just how many times you head off to Target, adding that up over a year, the five cents could turn into something more substantial! A new house? Eh, no! But who knows!

Right now it's hit or miss, I was officially told it's their new policy, but I've had some cashiers do it, others not so much. I think it's like the reusable tote thing in general, at first you have to beat it over their heads every time you bring one with you. "NO! Take that out of the plastic bag! I have a reusable tote!" and after a while, you have them trained, and they're just standing there holding your items, waiting on you to open that magical bag of wonderment for them to fill full; to which you can then go home, unload, fold up, and prep it for the next trip! And the next, and the next, and... so right now, if they don't make mention of it, bring it up to them! "Oh, did you give me my Target reusable bag discount?" It NEVER hurts to ask!

Well, it might if you don't. You might be five cents poorer. So next time, give it a try! (Oh, and if you aren't already, USE reusable bags! method has some wonderful plastic rehab bags; and I'll be a total salesman and let you know my favorites are Baggu bags! They come in a zillion colors, are strong, and just rock (and now they even come in canvas!) So you have no excuses! None, nada, zip, zilch! (That'd be a big zero, good buddy!)