Sometimes You Just Have to Ask...

For over a year, I have been lamenting the fact that I get 365 plastic bags delivered to my house each year. One for each newspaper. I know I live in Seattle, but it truly doesn't rain here every single day and I'm always frustrated on sunny days looking at one more plastic bag. I recycle them, but still...

The other day I noticed that my local newspaper The Herald had switched to green15 bags which are made with 15% less plastic. OK, it's 15% less plastic, but still at least 50% too many bags in my opinion (surely, it rains less than half the time here). Have I thought of just reading it electronically? Well, yes, but for now I like the idea of sitting at the kitchen table and seeing my kids trade the comics and sports pages.

As much as I have grumbled about the bags, I really don't think I've ever had anyone from The Herald tell me that my newspaper must come in a bag so I picked up the phone and called. A live person answered on the first ring and within 60 seconds, she had sent a note to my delivery person requesting "plastic bags only if necessary." Wow, that was easy! I promise I won't complain if unexpected rain dampens my paper.

What is your environmental pet peeves? Have you tried to change it? Sometimes, just asking politely can yield great results!