I took the train into the Chicago today for Worldwide Knit In Public Day (no I’m not kidding). There were seven us from all over the Chicagoland area, so we really cut down our emissions by joining other Chicagoans riding the train for a variety of fun city events.

I do have to report that in our efforts not to go hungry, we accumulated a bunch of trash from picking up some lunch at Corner Bakery and not having any recycling bins in Millennium Park. I tossed three very full plastic (gasp!) bags into the trash bin because we were all so weighted down already, that we didn’t know what else to do. Carrying all that back home just didn’t seem like a great idea. So my one green thing for the day sort of neutralizes the not so great thing. I did remember to bring and use my bamboo cutlery and not use the plasticwear the restuarant provided.

I ran over to the local grocery store, reusable bag in hand and I thought I was doing well. I had a small basket full of items (only needed one produce bag—I forget to bring my reusable stash with me) and I headed to the checkout. I asked the nice young man at the bagging station, “Can you put everything in this?” “Sure,” he responds. I’m smiling and I’m happy. I’ve done a small good green thing. I saunter out pretty proud of myself

I get home, still happy as a clam (although I had to fill up my car and the price stung and the lack of options made me smolder). I began unpacking my items. WHAT? I cried. What was in my awesome reusable bag? A plastic bag wrapped around my meat. Ahh! I was thwarted! I thought I did good, but I wasn’t paying close attention. It was nice that the young man didn’t want any meat juices to spill out on any other items, but now I had a grocery bag and a produce bag. Two bags! Even with my reusable. It was a sad moment.

For my one green thing today, however, I am vowing to take reusable produce bags with me to the store (until I get around to making fabric produce bags I found at Circle of Life Foundation, which is on my list). But until then, reusing what I have will be the baby step. Maybe this weekend I’ll get to the fabric produce bags.

Note: This post counts for Thursday, May 3rd and Friday, May 4th as my trip is lumped together.

Let’s just say I found traveling difficult in the eco-friendly department. I couldn’t recycle (no bins anywhere), I couldn’t reuse much (I had minimal space in my suitcase). I did reduce though by snatching the complementary toiletries they give you so they wouldn’t throw them away. I had to throw far too many things away with the minimal choices available to me. What’s with that? I felt very “impotent and out of control” to quote Cher from Clueless. What I would’ve liked to see in the great city of St. Paul are some bins like this. Now wouldn’t this be nice everywhere you go. Symbols so there’s no confusion. Color coding for ease of use. It’s seriously ideal. Listen up, St. Paul. Get your act together!