Spring is here and all around town people are cleaning up their yards, sprucing up their homes and renewing friendships with fellow walkers after a long and cold winter.

We recently celebrated Earth Day, and awareness of our actions and inactions and the way that they impact others has been increased. Saving the world is a big job, but if we all do our part and take personal responsibility and do a little bit, it will make a difference.

A small thing that can be done involves shopping bags. In the United States we use more than 100 billion plastic bags. A small portion of these bags get recycled, some are reused, but many are simply thrown away. The very light bags often become airborne and have a tendency to end up in trees, bushes and fences.

Quite often, property owners that have had no part in the purchase of the bags end up picking them up. They are eyesores in our public parks and make more work for everyone.

Here's where that personal responsibility and doing little things can add up quickly. Taking care to make sure that the shopping bags you get are recycled or reused will help the problem.

Another small thing that can be done is to purchase reusable bags. Currently, the Plymouth County Conservation Board is selling shopping bags at grocery stores in the county that are made from 90 percent recycled plastic and containers and environmental-friendly fabric.

The bags cost $12, which may seem to be expensive at first glance but once you consider that the disposable bags, which cost stores from 6 to 8 cents each, and that cost is passed on to consumers, it wouldn't take too long to "pay" for the bags.

It also appears that reusable bags are the wave of the future. According to Victoria Shamblen, a naturalist on the county conservation board, some places in the nation have banned the use of plastic bags and some stores are giving a credit for using reusable bags.

The county conservation board also gets a portion of the proceeds from the sale of the bags and will use the funds for the new Eco Center that will be constructed at Hillview.

With one small step, you can help the environment, cut down on litter and make an investment in the future of conservation education.

Not bad for just buying a bag.