1. Spare your fingers!
The bags below have long sturdy straps that you can sling over your shoulders, sparing you the pain of having to carry ever-stretching plastic bag handles from the weight of canned goods. Plus, you don't have to cut off circulation to your delicate digits on the walk to the front door. Unfortunately, many of the grocery store canvas bags don't have these long convenient straps.

2. Look ma, no hands!
When was the last time you had a full load of groceries AND could check your mail, AND open your front door without having to set anything down and mutter curses under your breath? These bags are made for your shoulders so you can have your hands available to get home with less aggravation.

3. Fit lots of stuff!
Seriously, folks, the bags below can carry plenty o' groceries. One can hold a half gallon of soymilk, 5 cans of beans, a box of crackers, 2 frozen veggie burritos, a quart of mushrooms, a head of lettuce, a bag of chips, and a pint of ice cream.

4. No ripping or tearing!
You've seen it in the movies countless times: a paper bag rips and oranges go spilling in every direction. Or perhaps you've been unlucky enough to have a bag of spaghetti sauce fall through a plastic bag. Not the most fun.

5. Feel morally superior and stylish at the same time.
But seriously folks, until everyone switches over to a more sustainable shopping bag, why not share your message in style?

April 22, 2008 marks the 38th year of Earth Day recognition and celebration.

Fortunately for us, technology has gotten a lot more efficient than when the first Earth Day was celebrated in 1970, and The Earth Day Network is a wonderful hub of information and activism. Some of the things you can do on their site include:

Send a message to Congress about the environment by Signing the Sky Petition.

Register to vote!

Read a list of options on how to be more involved!