TOTE-ally Eco, TOTE-ally Chic!

I remember being a little girl and running around the Laiki, meaning "popular market" with my mother every Wednesday in our neighborhood in Athens, Greece. Local merchants came with their goodies of fresh fruits and vegetables to sell with apples as big as your hands and watermelons large enough to feed a family of six. Ok, maybe that's exaggerating, but it was a treat. The wonderul thing about this market here is that you can taste before you buy. The merchants actually encourage this to prove that they are the best in the venue. Many Greeks prefer to get their fruits and vegetables at a market than at a grocery store because there is more to choose from. I prefer getting my fresh oregano here for my Greek salad. I find the whole Laiki trip a wonderful experience. Much more fun than just roaming around the same aisles at your local grocery store. Not only was the food plentiful, but you get more for your buck. Many Greeks also carry their own, personal tote for their purchases. Which begs the question: With all the styling and care we do for ourselves, why shouldn't shopping for food be just as fashionable as well as Eco-friendly ??

Whether you are shopping at the Farmer's Market or at your local grocery store, reusable totes are definitely the way to shop nowadays. Besides, who needs all those crumply, plastic bags hanging around? Even if the thought of carrying a tote sounds annoying to you, there's always the option of carrying pocket size totes that fold up easily in the palm of your hand.

Anya Hindmarch, known for her lady-like style, started a huge craze with her chic, reusable bags simply titled: I'm NOT A Plastic Bag. Now, she expanded her reusable idea into other clever Reusable Totes, each with its own use. Separate your food with these cute totes by putting your eggs in your dairy bag and your chicken in your poultry bag. Yeah, I know what you're thinking: "I need a luxury reusable tote like I need a hole in my head," but according to the Wall Street Journal, America' s consumption of bags is estimated at 100 billion plastic shopping bags annually, that's an estimated 12 million barrels of oil required to make that many plastic bags. So a little luxury isn't so bad, especially when you know that you're doing your part in being responsible. So go ahead, treat yourself.

Want a more portable option? Ty these Flip & Tumble Reusable Bags. These recyclable and reusable bags roll up in a little ball and fit in the palm of your hand. Now you have no excuse for not bringing your own tote. Just drop it in your handbag and pull out when you do your shopping. They can be used for just about anything and the great thing is, you won't have to worry about leaving a tote at home or in the car because this handy little thing will always be with you for that impromptu pick up at the market. And don't worry about ripping them. These bags are made from ripstop nylon (parachute material) and can carry up to 25lbs. Just toss the bag in the washing machine when they need it and when they are no longer usable, send to it to Flip & Tumble to recycle it. They fit comfortably on your shoulder and come in really cute designs and colors, so there's no need to worry about carrying a boring, bland bag.

Fashionable or Functional, there's something for everyone.

TOTE-ally available @ Trocadero.