If your anything like me you have nothing but the best intentions to bring your reusable bags with you to the store. It doesn’t hit me until they say “how many bags do you want to buy?” that I realize I forgot them at home.
Conservingnow.com is offering a solution to my problem! 2 free static window clings reminding you to remember your bags! What a great idea! I can put one in my truck and on the front door so I remember them.
Click here to order please allow 4-6 weeks for delivery.
Thanks 🙂
I always forget my bags lol
I filled this out in december and it never came
If the bags were actually appealing to bring along or sturdy for the heavier items, they would not be so forgotten.
Many of the ones sold in stores are either sturdy for some heavy items but not rain resistant, or rain resistant but have weak straps or the bags only support light items. The large light bags are not fun to carry around without a vehicle, as they don’t fold into itty bitty pockets.
Lee Valley Tools sells Canadian-made totes (in various colours) that fold up into little pouches. Those pouches would fit into door holders or glove or centre console compartments.
Envirosax.com. Best bags. Nylon, washable, sturdy, beautiful designs and fold up teeny tiny. I never forget my bags anymore because I always have 5 in my purse. They aren’t cheap to start with but seriously it’s worth it. They are THE best!!!!!
OOh I have some of the roll up ones, I got purple dot mod ones, they are so freaking pretty. But I still forget them.
They are awesome. I just put them back in my purse immediately after I unload them so I don’t forget. I can’t ever remember the big bulky ones in the trunk of my car though…
I always forge, end up buying new ones and still forget. But I never leave the house without my coupons!!!
Nothing says conservation and helping the environment like manufacturing window-clings, that, over time, will lose their clinginess (and they will!), and be thrown out.
Also, thousands of envelopes will be printed so that the clings can be sent in the email. No doubt, they’ll be a letter or some sort of promotional material included in the envelope too.
The more eco-friendly way is to, gasp, simply *remember*.
I think “conservingnow.com” blew the mission on this one.
Thanks to everyone for their support!
We really appreciate everyone’s responses. We are very interested in everyone’s comments.
We understand that people should just “remember” their bags but the Conserving Now team and volunteers spent many months interviewing and observing shoppers and based on that feedback concluded the following:
1) most people want to eliminate plastic bags to help the environment.
2) the great majority of people interviewed and observed said their primary reason for not using reusable bags every time they shopped was that they “forgot.” It seems that old habits die hard.
3) when given a reminder tool, most people will change their behavior
While we realize that people should just remember, in reality, that is not what happens. ConservingNow has distributed over 30,000 static clings since we launched our site and the overwhelming feedback from our community members is that they are now remembering their bags. If we believe the reports that the average shopper uses 400 plastic bags a year, ConservingNow will have helped to prevent 12 million plastic bags from being used in just one year. We think that is well worth the effort.
We also believe that it is important to educate our young people on the impact of plastic bags on the environment and a very large part of our work is to provide parents, teachers and schools with the resources to educate young people to be responsible environmental citizens. It is our goal to see that the next generation of young people will not need a “reminder”.
Lastly, 100% of profits are used to fund classroom kits.
Keep the comments coming and we really appreciate everyone’s support. Together we can make a difference!
To: 23Edge
From: ConservingNow
We are really sorry you did not get your static cling. Sometimes our volunteers make a mistake. If you send an email with your mailing information to [email protected], we will get one right out to you!!
Thanks for your support…
ConservingNow, thank you for replying.
I unfortunately am not swayed, and I think though you wrote well about saving the environment, you did little to address the fact that indeed, this program creates more waste. Once people start “remembering”, what are they going to do with these 30,000 window clings? What about the 30,000 envelopes that they came in accompanied with 30,000 letters?
I get a window cling to put in my car every time I get an oil change. There’s a date on there to remind me of when my next oil change is due. Another window-cling reminder.
Anyhow, it *always* peels off (and this is the case no matter which oil changing location we go to), and honestly, I can’t recall ever really looking at/noticing it until it peels off and falls on my dashboard.
You state “old habits die hard” – but they *do* die. I remember when home recycling first started. Ugh, who EVER remembered to put the cans in the blue box instead of the garbage?! But now, everyone does it.
So, while this campaign is run, it’s contributing to, in my opinion, more waste – ruining the whole point.
The cause and intention is good, and where the profits go is good, but adding waste to a cause that wants to eliminate waste is, well, hypocritical.
And question – if you’re “giving” away “free” window clings, what “profits” are you referring to for this program? How can you give money towards classroom kits, when we aren’t paying for the product you’re advertising?
I have some suggestions to people reading this. When you’re done using your reusable bags, immediately go to your front door (or whichever door you use to exit), and hang them on the handle. Next time you leave, they’ll be in your way, so you’ll grab them as you leave, and throw them in the car.
If you want an extra reminder, take a sticky note (less paper than an envelope with promotional material), and tape it to your door, by the handle. Write “TAKE THE BAGS!” (or something to that affect) on it. You’ll see that when you leave the house EVERY time.
If you’re in the store, and realize once inside that you forgot your bags in the car, just leave your cart by the entrance, and run out and get them. (ie: there’s a sushi bar at entrance to my grocery store – I once just told the sushi lady “I forgot my bags, I’ll be right back”, and that was fine.). Worst outcome is you get a bit of excercise while running out to the car.
Old habits die hard, yes, but they DO die. Creating more waste isn’t a way to make them die faster.
30,000 window clings, envelopes and pieces promo material aren’t really a way to help save the earth.
Our window clings for our oil changes never fall off, in fact we have one on our old car thats been there for 5 years and shows no signs of letting go lol!
I think personally a window cling on the way out of the house would remind me to bring my bags 🙂 Sure I could just write it on a post it but I do like the design on these clings.
If it starts falling off you can rinse it off, but I’ve never had a problem with even our decorations for the kids falling off.
Thanks for your responses, interesting to hear both sides.
ohh, great idea! when i forget my own, i use at least 1 plastic bag, offsetting any ‘waste’ from a window cling.
While I understand benji’s point of view and agree in principle, he forgets the advertising impact these static clings have. People see them in your car window and it raises awareness another notch. It also demonstrates to our children that we are involved and making an effort, and that we take the environmental issue seriously.
I think overall, my biggest concern is the fact that conservenow.com says the “profits” go to helping kids’ programs…what profits? It’s a free window cling! Environment aside, that issue alone makes me wonder about the whole thing, frankly.
I think this is a great idea. I think it’s silly to worry about the paper from the shipping and the plastic to make the window cling. Just recycle the envelope! A cling will last for YEARS on a window before losing its “stick” and falling off. I have never had an oil change cling just fall off, and as a kid I remember sticking clings on my home windows that were there for years. Advertising like this impacts more than just the people the clings are sent to. Anywhere from dozens to hundreds of people may see the cling stuck to one person’s car or home window and help someone else to remember too.
I have several bags that I rarely remember to take with me because once I use them, I take them inside to reload and forget to put them back in my car. I like the ones that fold into a little pouch ( I have one with a carabiner on it that I can clip to my purse ) but I only have 2 of those and should probably buy more. Yes, overtime people will start to get better about bringing their reusable bags, but in the meantime I think this is a good way to save plastic bags until we CAN remember every day.
Benji,
Again, thank you for your comments.
We do sell a small selection of reusable bags and other reminder eco-products in our online shop. 100% of those profits go toward providing classrooms with classroom kits that include parent and teacher resources as well as organic cotton bags for each child to create their own customized designs. We are a mother and daughter team who are passionate about the environment and wanted to make a difference for generations today and tomorrow. Our site is self funded and is our way of giving back to the community.
We sincerely appreciate everyone’s support and know that if we all work together we can make a difference!!