newsworthy: Go Green! Hot Handbags for the Eco-Friendly

Bye Bye Plastic!
Keira Knightley sparks a hangbag sell-out with her inexpensive tote by Anya Hindmarch

This past weekend was my best friend Ashleigh’s birthday, but more importantly (Sorry Ash!) it was Earth Day, capping off the month long green celebration of Mother Earth. I plan on taking my old laptop to an electronic recycling collection and then donating a bag of slightly used garments (make room for the new!).

One environmentally friendly act I’ve decided to follow through with throughout the year is cutting back drastically on my use of plastic bags. Hideous, flimsy, and pointless yet, worldwide we use 1 million plastic bags per minute! According to reusablebags.com, in 1999, 14 million trees were cut down to supply the 10 billion paper grocery bags Americans consumed that year alone- so switching to paper isn’t the best solution either.

In 2007 we are slowly starting to recognize the “bag” problem. (Not the “Do I spend my rent money on a Balenciaga bag?” problem.) In San Francisco, they’ve passed legislation to ban supermarket plastic bags.

In order to help ease your pain of being # 4,500,685 on the waiting list for Anya Hindmarch’s now famous canvas “I’m not a plastic bag” bag, I’ve compiled a list of three of my favorite totes. These carry-alls will transport your essentials, corner deli purchases, and farmer’s market produce in style.

Alena Hennessy’s Canvas Giorno Horse Tote ($64) at alenahennessy.com

French Fries and Taco Tote ($24) at FredFlare.com

Reisenthel Modern Grocery Tote ($19.95) at Reusablebags.com

Check out more canvas totes on Like.com:
ecobags organic canvas totes $9.45

Women’s Green Street Designs tote $49.95


DKNY ‘Pure’ canvas tote $75