Clear Bag Policies | How to Be Stadium-Compliant AND Sustainable?

First things first, check out my blog post from Monday, which has been updated with more ways you can donate to Harvey relief efforts in Texas and Southwest Louisiana.

With all of the focus on Harvey over the past week, it's hard to think that the college football season is about to kick off. My alma mater, UL Lafayette, has its first home game this Saturday. This year, they're joining in on the clear bag policy that's been part of the NFL and other universities for a little while now. (If you need the UL Lafayette clear bag policy and guidelines, go here.)

So, because UL Lafayette didn't have the policy last year, I only went to two LSU games where I had a tiny purse, and we don't go to Saints games, I don't have a clear purse at home. It's easy to jump on Amazon and purchase the cheapest one that fits the guidelines, but nothing about that is eco-friendly or sustainable.

Here's what I'm running into. UL Lafayette has five or six home games this year, one or two of which we are going to miss. So that means, I would need to buy a clear purse that would only be used about four times this season, and then sit in the closet for next year.

Next, I think about the materials. When I did look around on Amazon, I encountered some descriptions that contain a link to California Proposition 65.

 Whether you live in California or not, the warning gives concern:

California's Proposition 65 entitles California consumers to special warnings for products that contain chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm if those products expose consumers to such chemicals above certain threshold levels. We care about our customers' safety and hope that the information below helps with your buying decisions.

So, basically, these cheap, clear PVC vinyl purses contain harmful chemicals, and I refuse to spend my money that way.

Over the past month or so, I've searched around online for eco-friendly alternatives...but have not found any. Even my go-to secondhand sites don't have clear purses available. I simply cannot find any clear purses made with better material than PVC or vinyl.

A quick measurement of these three purses proves they're all too large to be admitted. :|

Looking around my home for something I may already own, I'm almost not above using a clear pouch from a set of pillowcases and bed sheets, with the labels removed of course. I also have a few small purses that may fit under the approved clutch measurements, or I can possibly use my Schwinn cell phone case that straps to my bike.

So, what do you do? If you live elsewhere in the country and have found a more eco-friendly clear purse option, please let me know in the comments!


And, for some tips on tailgating sustainability, revisit my blog post from last year!