I have a question and maybe someone has an answer. I try to be environmentally friendly. I recycle nearly everything. I buy 'green' when it is an available option. But I do use plastic bags and I personally recycle nearly every one of them as doggie pooper picker uppers! Does anyone have an alternative option if I stop using plastic bags? I won't leave it lying in other peoples yards or on the street. What can I use instead?

loves2cook, I'm far from self sufficient as far as food goes. I still buy cheese, butter, milk, but I get them from a locally owned hormone and antibiotic free certified dairy. I do buy some imported produce, although I try to buy what's closest in terms of having it shipped because the quality is so much better. I made some mango/lime sorbet for Easter dessert and neither of those things are grown anywhere near here, although I did use Pioneer sugar from here in Michigan. I refuse to buy store tomatoes anymore since reading the latest article in Gourmet (or was it Bon Appetit?) about the slave labor used in the tomato industry. However, if I only bought what was grown locally I'd never have a salad from September to May unless I build myself a greenhouse. Hmmmm.......anyway, I digress. I don't grow dried beans or lentils, they are too labor intensive for the crop I get. I haven't yet grown my own grains for grinding into flour and nearly all my mustard comes from Canada (thanks, Chase!). However, I dn't expect the government to keep me safe and I don't believe in better living through chemicals. I do what it's possible for me to do, take a little extra time and effort, and I have a lot more control over what I'm eating and what I'm feeding to my grandkids. Lou, don't worry about having the thread pulled, I don't think anyone minds at all. That's why we all jumped in on this. As for China, if I pick anything up on the shelf, from a bowl to a bottle of honey, and look at the label and it's from China, I put it back. I've saved a lot of money and found that I don't really need a lot of the things I've considered buying! So, in the end, that's a good thing. (grin) Annie

Thank you for posting KSWL. It is indeed food for thought. My children were so fortunate to grow up in a home where they had everything they needed (though certainly not everything they wanted). It was so important for us to impart a sense of thankfulness for all their blessings and empathy for those that were less fortunate. It was always eye opening when they were involved with Habitat for Humanity projects and they saw with their own eyes the struggle that many endured. I agree with Annie that we are privileged because of the struggles of our ancestors. My paternal ancestors came here from Germany in the mid seventeen hundreds and dug a shelter out on the side of a hill. I was blessed to have an ancestor that researched and wrote a family history up through my DF's generation. It makes sense that first generations aren't depressed as the day to day struggle for survival wouldn't allow a lot of time for depression or thoughts of "woe is me".

I agree that pricing for things made in China haven't changed much, but I'm not a disposable type of buyer and try to avoid buying China chunk as much as I possibly can. When it comes to our home or personal items, I'm not a disposable buyer and am willing to pay for quality but like Oly, I'll shop around or just do with out. Food is where I see prices rising the most. Someone mentioned how prices haven't changed much but sizes have descreased which to me still equates to a price increase. I've stopped buying a lot of the things we used to splurge on and tend to buy in bulk and repackage foods into smaller servings. We don't buy chips, treats or snacks and I always cook at home, but other than a few staple items, I don't buy much from our local Krogers or Meijer. Our fruits and vegi's are from a local farmer's market and organic (when available) . Dairy is from a local farmer, our meat is from an Amish poultry farm or Costco. Tonight I stopped by Ulta with my daughter to buy my preferred shampoo/conditioner. The kind I use lasts a long time so it's been a while since my last purchase. Of course the bottles had shrunk by a couple of ounzes and the price had still creeped up. I asked a lady on the floor if there was a comparable product for less and she showed me a few. I chose one that I'm familiar with and I'm hoping it will be fine, but my favorite has hit a number and size that's beyond what I feel is reasonable so I'm moving on. When it comes to my pants and the hems, maybe it's a demographic thing, because 12.00 is reasonable, but 15.00 in our neck of the woods is a lot. Sushi, I was thinking along those lines as well and I actually stopped by the Credit Union today so I'd be prepared to pay cash. She didn't ask me to but I know she'll appreciate it.