We started this series with what
goes out of our homes. The other half of green living is what we bring into our
homes. The products we buy and the way we buy them affect our families, neighborhoods
and society at large. Start with the simplest thing we do when we shop. The
plastic carry bag pollutes our streets, rivers, wells and forests. It clogs
sewers. It kills cattle and wildlife. Why shoppers insist on it is a mystery.
If we all carry cloth bags as we used to, and nag our friends to do the same,
we can be free of this menace. In fact, we can even refuse other kinds of
excess wrapping, such as the boxes and plastic sleeves that come with saris or
shoes.
