Pre-Ramadan i was discussing my goals and resolutions with my husband and one thing I’ve always wanted to do was start practicing green deen. I do try my best when i can, like writing my name on the paper/plastic cup i use at public events so i don’t have to go through a gazillion of them. We all know how we take a sip, walk away, come back and find 5 new cups sitting on the same table we left ours on. What ends up happening is all of those get thrown out and we just grab another one. I just feel like i should be doing more. Our deen teaches us to be humble and care for every living thing, which includes the earth we live on.

So back to me having this discussion with my husband as we are driving to go grocery shopping, i share with him how i really want to start using tote bags to carry our groceries versus the plastic bags provided by the stores. I have a whole collection just hanging in our garage which only really gets used on beach days or day trips. He agreed with me, we arrived at the store and the topic ended there for now. I did go home and take out one of my larger totes which i’m currently using to carry all my supplies for teaching, but haven’t made any drastic changes yet.

Move forward a few days and I’m at my local craft store (yes again) and i see this blank cotton tote. I go back to my conversation with my husband in my head and get super excited! It’s amazing how Allah works. We just need to make the intentions and he gives us that push we need to follow through. Crafting, creating, and using things i make myself is my weakness and to give me that push to really make moves with my resolution the All Knowing places this blank, pure white cotton tote in front of me, on SALE. How could i resist! Of course i purchased it.

It’s not big enough for a full blown grocery trip, but it’s exactly what i need for quick ‘on my way home’ errands, and it folds up to fit perfectly in the small cell phone pocket in my purse.

So when asked paper or plastic? I’ll Inshallah say my cotton tote <3