Perhaps we can change. Perhaps we care. Bottom-up, top-down…whichever direction the change comes from, we’ll take it.

Just five years ago, when I first printed ele’s first edition of our organic cotton tote bag, “Paper or plastic?” was a cliche everyday question…now, thanks to conscious consumers everywhere and Whole Foods, Wal Mart, and others below…we all know the answer. “No thanks, I brought my own.”

A year after eliminating disposable plastic grocery bags at all checkouts, Whole Foods Market announced this month that reusable bag use has since tripled at its stores. The grocer estimates it has kept an estimated 150 million plastic bags out of landfills since last Earth Day. “Our customers just really embraced the idea of bringing in bags and using them for groceries,” said Maria Watts, marketing and community-relations specialist at Omaha’s store. “We have customers who are almost apologetic that they didn’t bring in their bags.”

The world’s largest retailer, Wal-Mart, introduced reusable bags to U.S. customers in October 2007 and estimates it has sold enough to eliminate the need for 1 billion plastic ones…

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In other cities: In 2007, San Francisco became the first U.S. city to ban plastic shopping bags. Dozens of cities and states are considering imposing fees on plastic bags or banning them. California legislators currently are considering charging 25 cents for every plastic and paper bag, and Nevada lawmakers are debating whether to charge 10 cents per plastic bag. Seattle voters will decide in August whether the city can impose a 20-cent fee on paper and plastic bags…

…for the rest, go to Omaha.com.