I know what you mean. Even locally anyone can look around their home town and see the drift of plastic. After a recent flood in our areas the tree branches over the local river were filled with plastic bags in all the “colors of the bow”. It has always struck me that there must be some negative message in stores placing their logos on bags that are destined to fill our trees, gutters and alley ways.

The problem to my mind is those of us conscientious enough to make such gestures as not using plastic bags are simply too few in number to effect the change. As you mention the inauguration of our new president, (Yippie!) I’m also reminded that the inauguration itself left behind the most trash of any event held on the mall according to a recent article. These are the folks who went through so much effort to see Obama sworn in! If they won’t clean up after themselves who will? I think it just goes to show us that in real terms we can’t just clean up after ourselves either, we have to clean up after everyone else and find joy in it. I certainly encourage anyone who feels strongly about this issue to simply take a garbage bag and go for a walk. 