There’s been a lot of talk about plastic bags lately. More specifically, how New York State will finally stop using them, and we at the library fully support this plan. But there’s just one snag in that plan – the library uses plastic bags! Right now, we have some very generous patrons bringing in their once-used plastic bags which we give out to patrons as needed. Now that the use of these bags is frowned upon, this might be a good opportunity to change the way we do this one specific thing.

Maybe, just maybe, we can replace these environmental choking hazards with something a little more reasonable, like reusable canvas/shopping bags! But how would we get them? We don’t have it in our budget to purchase a large quantity of reusable shopping bags for our patrons. If only there was some way we could get patrons to donate some of their extra bags to us to be used as needed. Too bad I don’t have any way of communicating this need to a large group of local residents on a weekly basis –

Wait a second! I could ask community members to donate their gently-used reusable shopping bags to us in this very column! But do you think that simple request would meet my general requirement of 350 words? Perhaps, if I talk about it in my usual weird way. But also, DEFINITELY, if I relate it to an upcoming program about recycling in Madison County.

Do you have good intentions when it comes to recycling but still aren’t sure whether or not things like plastic bags are recyclable? (They’re not, which is the problem.) Stop by the library on Monday, June 24th at 6 p.m. to ‘Rethink Waste in Madison County!’ Learn from Kristin Welch, the Recycling Coordinator at the Department of Solid Waste, who will update you on program changes and what exactly goes into that recycling bin! You can even pick up some handy resources while you’re there to help you remember once you get home.

In summary: 1) Bring us your extra bags, if you have any; 2) come to this recycling program on June 24; and 3) Save the world!

Thanks for reading and in advance for the abundance of bags you are planning to drop off.