In The Bag

One of the benefits of living on an island in the middle of the Atlantic—outside of the obvious, like sunny weekends spent on the beach—is being part of a community that for the most part, cares deeply about the environment. Don't forget, Bermuda is a tiny 21-square-mile archipelago with limited natural resources. Clearly, it's important to preserve what we've got. In that spirit islanders commonly bring reusable canvas bags to the market, are conscious about recycling and save every bit of rainwater that falls from the sky. Sure, lots more can be done to help create clean sustainable energy on the island—like solar panels atop government buildings for starters—but isn't that always the case? Unlike landlocked towns across the world, islands have fragile eco-systems very much in need of preservation. Which is not to say inland areas shouldn't care about the environment, just that islands need to care more. Take South Padre Island, Texas for example. The small U.S island has voted to eliminate the sale and distribution of all plastic and non-compostable bags in local stores, a vote that I've covered on my Outside Television blog This Way Out. If you've got a few minutes read my story In The Bag, which praises South Padre for a move that will no doubt keep its beaches clean while reducing the use of harmful plastics—something Bermuda should seriously start thinking about. In the meantime, thanks for reading! And of course, I'll be back tomorrow with your regularly scheduled Bermuda Shorts programming.