I can not express the frustration that I have with the City of Chicago right now and it has nothing to do with the fact that it is negative four degrees outside. I just really do not understand why, when the Mayor is saying things like, "Chicago will be the greenest city in the nation", that I can't recycle. I could go on and on with reasons why Chicago's Blue Bag recycling program is the biggest joke (and it's not just me: The Chicago Tribune states, "If Daley is serious about going green, he should stop finding excuses to stick with the blue." The Chicago Sun Times states, "The city needs to deliver a recycling program that makes sense. It's not rocket science. "), but instead, per my New Year's resolution, I'm going to focus on the positive.
[insert throat clearing noise and fake smile].
Progressive cities like San Francisco and countries like Ireland are outlawing plastic bags in grocery stores, so it's no surprise that reusable tote bags have become more and more awesome, like the above Eero Aarino tote from the Bags Of Goodwill ($15) series which has raised over $10,000 to The Fairtrade Foundation. Red Flag Design, a Vancouver-based company, also makes a variety of great totes as well as heavy-duty luggage from recycled boat sails like the photo below.

P.S. For the record, I'm not asking for Gavin Newsom or for anything spectacular here, just the ability to recycle without having to drive to a drop-off center that's miles away—maybe that's why the Chicago recycling catch phrase is: "It Starts with You".