An innovative grandmother in Missouri is doing her part to reduce the waste of plastic bags by using them to create simple necessities for homeless people.
“Anybody that’s ever folded laundry can fold bags,” Pat Jones tells KSBW with confidence. “And we all learned how to use scissors in first grade, and that’s all it takes.” She and the generous team she’s organized take plastic bags and transform them into a material they creatively call “plarn” since it’s made from plastic but resembles yarn.
They then use it to weave cushioned pillows and mats which they distribute to homeless camps throughout Kansas City. Since homeless individuals are frequently unable to find shelter in the midst of storms, they appreciate that these plarn creations dry out quickly and easily.
Thanks to Pat’s ingenuity, thousands of plastic bags are being put to good use as opposed to ending up in a landfill.
“I think we all have a responsibility to be as environmentally helpful and friendly as we can be,” Pat asserts. She says she often comes home to find bags full of plastic bags on her porch from people hoping to help her cause. It’s proof that her generosity is contagious.
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