Plus, it's another way for them t'make you a walking advertisement...

No photos this time dudes. But maybe a little insight into the differences between Canada etc. and Istanbul, right? Everyone always appreciates those, right?

I suppose I'm kind of offering those, this time around. But the more I think about it, the more I realize that what I'm ragging on probably rings true for anyone that isn't living in Belgium or Holland. (And not becos yer sober and they're probably not.)

What I mean is that, according to popular myths, Belgium and Holland (So who are the Dutch?) have banned plastic bags. You know, those crutches of ours which we don't even bat an eye at. If you're unlike me, you eat truckloads and bring home truckloads of groceries every week. And my guess is that you bring 'em home in the plastic bags they provide for you. There's no shame in that folks, they just make it so easy for you.

But temptation ain't much 'til you recognize it. It dawned on me awhile back that plastic bags are fucking useless. This might be becos I picked up a righteous hipster sidebag somewhere near 45th street in New York City, which I could easily hold my camera, notebook and as many cans of beer as I could afford on any given day.

And if that's not the reason, then I'm a happy dude. Go look under yer kitchen sink right now; you'll probably find dozens of plastic bags. (Please allow me t'preach for the next little bit. This might be the only cause I'll ever champion) And what's the need? I was never big on physics or logic or whatever, but I'd bet that those bags don't break down in a particularily environmentally-friendly fashion.

And I realize that being environmentally-friendly is the new getting thin and getting in shape. But the latter is an entirely selfish cause; but even I would be happy living in a world with McDonald's and Taco Bell's, as long as there was actually a planet to support them.

We only get the BBC and CNN over here; today's it's news of oil spills deep into the seas and temperatures flucuating like the moods of those aforementioned women during their time of the month. My point is, if you're anything like me, you respect what all those dudes who dedicate their lives to preserving this planet of ours, but yer seat on the couch is just too comfortable.

The next time you get hungry and bolt down to yer local IGA or Tekel or whatever, just refuse a plastic bag. They're so goddamned useless. And what's it going to take for people to clue into this? Either bring your own, or get something re-useable. I dig what the Dutch are doing (For obvious reasons too) cos they've just banned them. It's simple cause and effect. Make something illegal, people will adapt.

I reckon one of the reasons most of the western world doesn't "Go green" is becos it ain't beneficial, finally speaking. Getting behind Bullfrog (Wind-powered energy) will cost you a few extra bucks a month. Buying local produce puts an extra 20 cents on yer kilo of tomatoes, r whatever. But here's an oppurtunity for you to just play it cool (Environmentally speaking, of course) and keep this planet of ours cooler for just a day or two. We don't need these damn bags. Amd hey, if you feel like it, when that motherfucker immediately offers to wrap yer Snickers bar in a bag, give him a look like he's just insulted yer sister. Maybe he'll get the point too. That's the beauty of a grassroots movement; you can be as drastic as you want during the embryonic stages.

It's just like having a salad instead of fries, which seems to be the only way everyone I know rocks the diet craze these days. It ain't much, admittedly. I guess you just have to ask yerself if you want to be that type of dude who lives in excess and isn't looking out for yer common man or if you feel like smiling at another just because yer both breathing in and out. If that sounds idealistic, it is. But maybe that's what'll save us, right?

Don't go green cos it's cool t'go green. But don't go stupid becos it's easy t'do so.

But we all need food, right? And we're all accustomed to those plastic bags, right? We need one, and we can laugh at the other.

And what's better than eating yer favourite meal and smiling afterwards, right?