10 - Friday, May 25, 1990 - North Shore News Can't get any more ‘convenient’ than using your own canvas bag. IF THERE is one word I have grown to despise, it is “convenience.”’ It is used when shops try to force us to be grateful for un- pleasant conditions (i.e. ‘‘Please excuse the falling plaster; we are renovating for your conve- nience.’’) and it has been the mustering cry for marketers whose job it is to turn us first and foremost into consumers. Society’s search for ‘‘conve- nience’’ has led us to disposable diapers, overpackaged microwave meals and other throw-away ac- coutrements to the so-called good le. We've so bought inio this golden ideal that we often get immediate- ly, unthinkingly defensive when environmentalists suggest alter- natives to our disposables — “What, me change cloth diapers?”’ . The marketers did a job on us, all right. Consider: Environmentalists have been urging people to use their own shopping bags at the store for well over a year. And yet when I go to the market I am disheartened to find that very, very few people ever do this. Why don’t they? Because, I suspect, people think it’s too much work. It’s too strange. It’s not “convenient.”” That’s rubbish. My canvas shopping bag carries at least three times the weight a plastic bag ever would — so, instead of carrying four bags home, I only carry two. The handles fit over my shoulder, which makes the weight casier to bear and leaves my hands free for other parcels. I keep my light cotton produce bags and two canvas shopping bags bundled up in my car at all times, so they’re always there when I need them — terribly “conve- nient.’’ And best of all, when I open the closet at home, I am no longer showered with 467 used plastic bags. That’s right, gang, I now en- joy extra storage space since | don’t bring home any bags from the store. My intention is not to sound self-righteous. It is to implore you sincerely to try some of the simple lifestyle changes that environmen- talists are suggesting. They are not difficult and will make a world of difference. offer a discount to students who use them. I keep my mug in my car, and have been able to use it on a number of occasions. Recently, however, I went to a Famous Players theatre and was told that they wouldn’t fill up my mug with Coke — apparently they calculate sales by counting the EcolInfo Pegey Trendell-Whittaker If you have a lot of plastic shopping bags at home, you can start by reusing those. Once you’ve depleted that store, canvas bags are now available at many shops, in different colors and styles. Some companies, such as Van- City, are now producing them and making them available to clients. Local cottage industries are sewing them under contract for some stores — an enviro-economic suc- cess story. want People are also starting to “lug a mug”? with them whenever they go anywhere they think they might be presented with a hot drink ina disposable cup. Some stores, such as Capers in West Van, will give you a discount on your coffee when you bring your own mug. This concept has really proved successful at UBC, where hordes of students can be seen walking between classes with a UBC mug fastened on to their book bag or packsack. The mugs are available on campus, and the coffee outlets number of cups left at the end of the night and if I had bought a drink without using a cup their figures would have been thrown into irreparable disarray. As this sort of institutional ri- gidity tends to get my dander up, I phoned the district offices of Famous Players and Cineplex Odeon to question them on this matter. They aren’t allowed to speak to the press, so I had to call head offices in Toronto. The people in Tosonto didn’t seem to be overly familiar with the . reduce, reuse, recycle mentality and had trouble understanding what I was talking about. When I finally got through to their spokesperson, Famous Players af- firmed that due to their inventory system, they would not be willing to fill up customers’ own mugs. I told the candy clerk at the theatre that [ woulda’t be buying anything at the concession until a policy change would allow them to fill up my mug, and I intend to stick to my word. I shan’t starve, however, because there are a number of great independent theatres in town that are much more in touch with what’s happening on the en- vironmental front and that en- courage movie-goers to bring in their own mugs. The Kidge Theatre, where you can catch Vancouver’s first En- vironmental Film Festival all this weekend, offers a 10-cent teduc- tion off your hot beverage if you use your own mug, because owner Ray Mainland says that ‘‘to people who are willing to help me solve this (environmental) problem, I want to say thank you.’’ You can also use your mug for cold drinks. The Vancouver East Cinema, which, unfortunately, will be clos- ing mid-June, has sigtis posted in- viting people to bring their own cups. Although I couldn’t get through to Pacific Cinemateque on Howe and the new Starlight ‘Theatre on Denman by press time, experience tells me that these theatres, too, will welcome mug-toters. Until the larger chains become tesponsive to those people who want to cut down on waste, these smaller theatres will have my sup- port. Send your environment infor- mation, tips, success stories and com:ng events to Ecolnfo, North Shore News, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7M 2H4. COMING EVENTS Tomorrow marks the opening of the Eco-Info Centre in Capilano Mall, opposite the Lotto Kiosk. A project of environmental groups SPEC and WHEN, the cetnre will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and feature information and displays on gardening, recycl- ing, packaging and home en- vironmentalism. Visitors are invited to bring in environmentally UN-sound packaging to add to the ‘‘Toxic- saurus’’ and follow the yellow brick road to the “‘Wizard of Ozone.”’ JACK MacKay ...long-time North Shore resident, Volunteer passes away JOHN WILLIAM MacKay, a long time North Shore: resident and noted volunteer, died of a massive stroke while he was being honored at a recent volunteer ceremony. Mr. MacKay, known as Jack, was born in Vancouver in 1914 and grew up in the Point Grey area. He spent the first five years of his ca- Teer as a radio officer/purser on the Canadian National ships which sailed to Alaska. He joined the Department cf Transport in 1938 and married his wife, Velma, in 1940. Mr. MacKay moved to North Vancouver in 1952 and became deeply involved in community ac- tivities. He volunteered his time to such organizations as the Canadian Red Cross and the Canadian Cancer Society. Mr. MacKay was also on the the Silver Harbour Senior Centre board of directors. Mr. MacKay is survived by his wife Velma, children Gaile Lacy of North Vancouver, Judy Ronacher and son-in-law John of Kelowna, and Jill Embley of North Van- couver, nine grandchildren and brothers Lewis and Douglas and their families. In lieu of flowers, the family is asking that donations be made in the form of giving pints of blood at the next Red Cross Blood Donor Clinic. UMMER IS COMING IO VANCOUVER. WHAT A GREAT EXCUSE FOR A SALE. Louis Garneau cycle shorts: regular $30.00, now $24.99 Men's and ladies training suits: Adidas, Rucanor, Nike, Matinbleu, Lutha 30% OFF regular price. Russell knit sweats: regular $29.95, now $19.95 Selected men's shorts, now 30% OFF We couldn't resist timing our sale to coincide with the greatest event to hit the west coast. And why not? We have everything you need for beaches, biking and basking in the sun — at prices that will make you feel warm all over. Breeze on down toTSL for some fresh colorful ideas. We've got the styles that summer was made for. Sale ends May 30th. wee A SPECIES OF CLOTHING AS INDIVIDUAL AS YOU. FOR MEN AND WOMEN. Selected Men's tennis shorts: Adidas, Le Cog Sportif 25% OFF Selected \fen'’s spemtswear; Pants, Siurts, Sweaters: Britches, Boston Traders, Lipson, NewMan 25% OFF regular prices. All jeans from Big Star, New Man, Ruff Hewn, Code Ble 25% OFF Selected Ladies Sportswear: Adrienne Vittadini, Sungsport, Bern Conrad, Naf Naf, New Man, Marco Polo, Part Two, Izod 25-40% OFF