Plastic bags become mats for homeless

American Legion Auxiliary needs now-outlawed plastic grocery bags

When Tehachapi newcomer Judith Campanaro became part of The Loop family as a reporter, she brought something else – a way with crafts that has captured widespread attention. Campanaro makes magic with those pesky plastic grocery store bags that the state of California has been trying to eradicate for years. Cutting the bags into thin strips and working it like yarn, she creates carry bags and soft, cleanable, lightweight mats that can be slept on. The malleable mats also offer warmth.

The knittable plastic caught the attention of Loop staffer Harriet Clendenin, who is active in the local and state American Legion Auxiliary Unit 221. Clendenin launched an Auxiliary project to make sleeping mats for the homeless.

A week after Clendenin began her campaign to create the mats, the voters of California made the plastic grocery store bags illegal.

"We decided at our November meeting and the next week the law was passed," she said.

The stores used up what they had and no more are available.

Clendenin is making the best of it.

"It's an ongoing project," Clendenin said. "The materials change."

But if you mention you have a stash of the outlawed bags, Clendenin's eyes light up. She wants them. Kmart, she said, has been able to provide nine cases of unused bagging bags.

She also has secured 160 13-gallon trash bags.

Forde Files has a stash of the bags, using them for sloppy garbage and for lining waste baskets. Forde Files is pondering whether to hoard the stock or turn it over to Clendenin...