This installation tells the story of how a small number of committed people can make a change for the better. I became alarmed at the environmental destruction caused by plastic shopping bags and decided to do something about it. In early 2008 I conceived the global collaboration, Bags Across the Globe (BAG). UC Davis Design students helped me create over 200 beautiful cloth and vinyl shopping bags from campus waste, including fabric swatches and vinyl exhibition banners.I sent these bags as free gifts to more than 100 friends and strangers in 62 countries on every continent.BAG recipients use one bag and give the second bag to a friend, then send me a message and photo. The Design Museum installation Bags Across the Globe: Designing to Reduce Waste tells the story of the plastic bag problem, how this project addresses it, and the people who made it possible.

Ann Savageau
Design Program, UC Davis