Columbia Star

1963        Celebrating 60 Years      2023

Saving the planet is in the bag



Margaret Claypool

Margaret Claypool

Climate change is likely the most pressing problem facing Planet Earth today. Approximately 97 percent of scientists who study climate consider the current state of the world to be unsustainable, and that climate change is caused by human beings. This is higher than the percentage of scientists who think smoking will kill you.

Unfortunately, the largest contingent of those opposing immediate action toward action are American politicians— many funded by businesses that need to keep things as they currently are. So it seems ordinary human beings are going to have to start doing things to make a difference—although there is little ordinary about these folks.

A group of Montana young people from ages two–18 are suing their state for violating the state constitution’s guarantee of a right to a clean and healthful environment for their reliance on fossil fuels. Similar suits are pending in four other states. Young entrepreneurs in coastal areas are starting businesses to remove plastic and other waste from coastal locations and find unique ways to recycle the detritus.

One of these climate soldiers is a retired librarian, born in Cayce who still lives in the Midlands. Margaret Claypool spent 38 years working for the Richland County Library and most of those years also involved doing something to make a climate change difference. She graduated from Columbia College and got her masters from USC. She and Ron, her husband of 43 years, are retired and live on Highway 601 between Camden and Sumter.

I received a package from Margaret due to a column I wrote on plastics. After confirming the package wasn’t ticking, I opened it and found a brand new, handmade, reusable grocery bag— something I can always use. A bag I’ve received numerous compliments on since.

Our interview began with a quote, “The average person doesn’t have a clue how bad the plastic problem is.”

She also recommended a book, Thicker Than Water by Erica Cirino, a 2021, fact-filled, lesson on the plastic problem and how important it is to quickly resolve the problem. Her primary contribution is creating reusable grocery bags.

Claypool began making her own clothes as a child and has continued sewing as a hobby and relaxation technique. She made her first reusable grocery bags from scrap material and began outfitting friends and relatives, adding a little education on the problem with each gift.

She has outfitted employees of her local Lowes with bags and has circled the globe. There are Margaret Claypool original grocery bags in Australia, Iceland, and several in California, along with the ones she’s provided for central South Carolina residents. She’s also donated bags to charitable groups.

Her source of economically priced material has begun drying up so Margaret is looking for a new source. She enjoys the process of creating the bags and getting to offer some details as to why we should all take climate change much more seriously. As with most things, thinking environmentally is mostly a matter of habit. Along with a little bit of education.

Anyone who might know of a source of discount heavy duty material in reasonable driving distance can start making reusable bags themselves or at least get word to Margaret Claypool. She would appreciate the help.

So would Mother Earth.

One response to “Saving the planet is in the bag”

  1. Judith Schell says:

    How can I purchase some Margaret Claypool bags?

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