Late last year I was invited to administrate a chapter for Green Bag Lady. Green Bag Lady is an eco-friendly, fabric-friendly project started by artist & former professor Teresa VanHatten-Granath and her students in 2008. Teresa and her volunteers, “Bagettes”, make bags out of donated and bargain priced fabric to give them away for FREE in exchange for the promise to refuse paper or plastic when shopping. They also document the world-wide use of these bags. The chapters are world-wide and my chapter is in West Virginia. The bags are recorded by number as they are donated and a record kept at Teresa's blog. Go Visit! Green Bag Lady!
I asked whether my grand-daughter's Girl Scout Troop would permit the girls to join in as a contributor to the cause, and learn of ways they can reduce, reuse and recycle. We had a fantastic upcycled poster depicting animals and the ocean's damage from plastics and brain-stormed ideas of how we could reduce our plastic use. Their ideas were fabulous!
In exchange for a donation of 2 yards of fabric per child, each will receive two Green Bag Lady bags s& the Troop will receive one per child for a contribution to a charity/ donation of choice or keep in the troop. All other materials donated will become an addition to our efforts is distributing bags! We have more than 50 bags! From the materials donated by 8 children and their parents alone!
As Sewing may be in some of the girls' skill sets later, each will also receive the pattern with their bags as it is absolutely FREE!
As Teresa states it! "Let’s change the world…one bag at a time!"
An Update From the Troop Leader - "Hey Everyone!!! In order to reduce our plastic use the girls voted to bring their own refillable water bottles to drink from to the meeting. "
What a great idea! I'm happy to see the girls getting into this and taking it one step further with there refillable water bottles.
ReplyDeleteThanks Jeanna, I cannot take credit for the intuitive creation. Just going along with it!
DeleteThat is a wonderful idea. I use reusable bags, too. Some were given away by businesses in town and some I made out of old pillowcases. They are perfect for making bags. It was good that you worked with the Girl Scouts, too.
ReplyDeleteThe Girl Scouts worked on earning a "go green" badge and we incorporated this into the lesson~ Fun for them!
DeleteGreat idea, and fun for the scouts!
ReplyDeleteMaking more bags is on my UFO goal list this year.
The Green Bag Lady project is a great way to use of fabric you would otherwise not use in a quilt project!
DeleteGreat project with the girls. It's never too early to teach recycling and reusing.
ReplyDeleteOur hope is that they will share the wealth of information with others!
DeleteI love this idea- Thank you for sharing!! I think I am going to start making my own bags!
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