Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

Reusing, repurposing and recycling are good habits for anyone who aspires to have a less wasteful household. The creative people behind Otto Storage have designed the packaging for their Otto Storage Stools with that in mind.

Otto Storage Stools come packed in large, sturdy tote bags. These heavy-duty plastic-bags are big and strong enough to carry just about anything: groceries, beach or gym gear, laundry (handy for residents of student dorms and New York City apartment buildings), or any other essentials of daily life. These totes are not only practical, their bright designs look great, too.

Reusable shopping bags have been a way of life in Europe for years, and they seem to be catching on in parts of the U.S. Places like California are working on legislation to phase out single-use plastic bags and promote reusable shopping bags instead. It certainly makes a lot of sense. Flimsy plastic shopping bags are infamous for cluttering up our kitchens and then becoming significant landfill waste or ocean debris if not recycled. But why use them at all, when reusable bags are available?

It’s not hard to get into the habit of carrying reusable bags, especially for grocery shopping. If you drive to the store, always keep a few tote bags in the trunk of your car. If you walk or take public transportation to go shopping, keep some bags near the door where they’re easy to grab on the way out: maybe hanging on a hook or stored inside an OTTO stool. Wherever you do your everyday shopping, carrying a bright and reusable shopping bag will make a stylish statement.

Reusing, repurposing and recycling involve a little more effort than simply tossing something in the trash, but the small effort is very worthwhile. And when the bag is really no longer useful, then please recycle whenever possible.

About the author: Pamela Small works from a home office as a copywriter, editor and translator of business communication. Having an organized, well-designed home and workspace keeps her both happy and productive.