Bags across the globe (BAG)

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The U. S. Environmental Protection Agency estimates that worldwide we use 500 million to one trillion plastic shopping bags annually; some estimates are as high as four or five trillion for all types of plastic bags. The average plastic shopping bag is used for just twelve minutes! Where do plastic bags end up? . Less than 1% of these are recycled. Most end up in our streets, rural areas, and waterways and make their way to the oceans, where they are ingested by animals who mistake them for food, which usually proves fatal. Or the bags break down into small floating particles consumed by animals up and down the food chain, from plankton to birds, turtles, fish and whales. In addition, there is an estimated 2.5 billion pounds of textile waste created annually in the U.S. alone. BAG is part of a global effort to reduce, reuse and recycle. This project takes a stand against the excesses of consumer culture and the glorification of high-priced luxury items such as designer bags. BAG proclaims that stylish, one of-a-kind bags are accessible to anyone, regardless of income. These bags will be exchanged as free gifts, reflecting traditional cultures’ practice of exchanging gifts to cement relationships. BAG is more than exchange of objects: it is about an exchange of energy and information, and the bags function as vehicles for this exchange. BAG will encourage other people to take up this effort and create their own bags out of local waste materials, and to share them with others. We hope that Bag spin-offs pop up all over the globe! 

The BAG Team is headed up by artist/designer Prof. Ann Savageau of University of California Davis Design Program. I have been assisted by Design students who have sewn the bags and helped to design the installation and the website, blog and installation materials. See "BAG Team" for details and photos of the team. 

Each bag contained the following: a) a letter explaining the BAG project; b) a postcard made out of recycled paper with the BAG logo; c) a sheet with facts about the environmental damage caused by plastic bags and textile waste. Beginning in summer 2008 we began making the bags. During the summer of 2009 I mailed two shopping bags each to people in 60 countries across the globe. Recipients were asked to use one bag for shopping. They gave the second bag to a friend, to do the same, so the bag project has spread across the world. Recipients mailed me their postcards with a message, and a photo of themselves holding the bag. The photos and messages that recipients have sent are displayed on the interactive map (see "Travel Record"). 

The BAG project will be shown as an installation in the University of California Davis Design Museum, from January 23 to March 11, 2011. I am planning for the installation to travel to several countries and involve local people in workshops to create shopping bags out of locally available materials. 

Plastic Ban Report

Conserve India

Recycle Runway

Green Bag Lady

Harmony Art

One Bag At A Time

Algalita  

On September 21, 2009, I visited about 130 students in two elementary schools in London, Furzedown and Sellincourt. I told the students about the damage caused by plastic shopping bags, and explained Bags Across the Globe and how they could join in the effort by making their own shopping bags. Students drew designs for their shopping bags, and shortly afterwards, they reported the results. Below are the delightful e-mails they sent me. Students in Furzedown plan to hold a fashion show that features their bags. They also decided to ban plastic bags in their school! Way to go, Furzedown! Now if grownups will only follow the children's example... 

Dear Ann,
Thank you for your visit we're really grateful. Today we started to make our bags out of old clothes. They're really good so far and we'll be finishing this afternoon. We can't wait to use them. We will be doing a fashion show so we can show everyone our bags. We're also going to take pictures of them and send them to a school in Uganda. We are also trying to ban plastic bags in our school because of your visit. We're going to spread the message of what plastic bags do to the environment and the wildlife to as many people as we can.
Best wishes
From Max Wood and Sam Clancy 

Dear Ann Savageau,
We have made two different bags. One of them was made out of a tutu and a old pair of jeans the tutu was blue and the jeans were also blue the handle was a flower paten .The other bag was made out of a old t-shirt and a black ribbon the t-shirt was turquoise.
From Mirit and Hannah 

Dear Miss Ann Savageau,
Thank you for coming all the way from California. It was a great pleasure meeting you. You gave us fantastic information on plastic bags which really shocked us. At school we are making cloth bags that we can use again and again and again. We have really enjoyed designing our bags. Now we know lots of information such as that we can save 3-12 plastic bag a week. We were so interested in your information we made information leaflets for the school to know about it. We are now a plastic free zone.
Best wishes,
Anu and Tharanya 

Dear Ann,
Thank you for coming and giving us a talk about plastic bags it was a shock to the whole class we learnt a lot. Also it really made a difference we thought we could try and ban plastic bags in the school!
We have designed bags out of old clothes and fabrics; we have just started to make them,Maya made a brown bag out of one of her top and sewed the sleeves together and sewed the bottom together! Isabella made a bag out her old scarf and her old, pink-spotty skirt. You really inspired us!!!!!
Thank you from Isabella and Maya 

To Anne Savageau,
Thank you for inspiring us to make recycled bags. Your power point was really exiting but sad. We took your interesting power point and made our own recycled bags. We learnt that over 50 million fish die every year by people throwing plastic bags we made our own bags by recycling our clothing.
Thanks again
From Omar and Darren