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» 2010 LocoGringo Photo Contest Winners

You see them floating in the sea, you see them flying down the street. You see them stuck in trees, you see them collect under your kitchen sink. Our world is full of plastic bags! Did you know somewhere between 500 billion and a trillion plastic bags are consumed worldwide each year? Of those, millions end up outside of landfills littering our environment and harming wildlife.

Melissa Meno and her crew at Earthware, a company that promotes eco-friendly products, have decided to take on this problem in the Riviera Maya with their Tote Le Monde line of high-quality bags and accessories that directly help to reduce plastic grocery bag consumption. Loco Gringo met up with Melissa to find out about her bags.

Interview with Melissa Meno

LG: Melissa, what year did you start the company?
MM: Me and my crew of Americans out of Chicago started the company in Playa del Carmen in 2008

LG: Where are your products made?
MM: They are all manufactured in a progressively ethical and responsible factory in Bolivia that promotes Fair Trade. I was a Peace Corps volunteer in Bolivia for 4 years before making my way to Mexico.

LG: What makes Tote Le Monde bags different from other reusable bags?
MM: Tote Le Monde offers a variety of styles and colors to fit all personalities and lifestyles. The durable material is lightweight, foldable, and rinseable, perfect for any trip to the grocery store or a day at the beach. The Market Tote, a featured product this season, is the perfect bag to tote your groceries, and it conveniently zips into a small pouch for easy storing in your car or purse.

LG: Where can people in the Rivera Maya find Tote Le Monde products?
MM: You can find Tote Le Monde products in Playa del Carmen at Parque La Ceiba, Luna Azul, Spa Itza, Waves Salon, Rosewood Spa Mayakoba, and in Akumal at Dive Akumal, and in Tulum at Suwus and Posada Margarita. You can also spot the brand making its way to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico City and Guadalajara.

LG: What do you want consumers to know about what Earthware is doing and why?
MM: Our personal consumer choices have ecological, social, and spiritual consequences on our environment, and now more than ever, consumers need to consciously monitor their consumption of non ecological products. So remember, the next time you head to the supermarket, bring your Tote Le Monde re-useable bag with you, and help reduce the mindless consumption of plastic grocery bags.