COVER · 10

She Started a Green Business that ‘Changes the Way the World Shops’

BY MADDIE RENNYSON

“I had to choose between going broke or breaking the world,” said Lisa D. Foster, PhD, entrepreneur, business coach, and pioneer of the reusable bag industry in the United States. In 2005, Foster founded 1 Bag at a Time, which produces quality, affordable shopping bags that contribute zero environmental waste for at least two years. Since the start, the company has sold over 20 million bags, significantly reducing the use of plastic bags while shopping. Foster was hosted at the Halcyon House in Georgetown on Thursday, June 2 for an enriching sustainable business discussion centered around her new book, Bag Lady: How I Started a Business for a Greener World and Changed the Way America Shops.

“Would you like a bag?” – the question that would change Foster’s life forever -- was first posed to her at a supermarket in Australia around the start of the century. She had never contemplated this question, and it set a movement into motion. “Do I want a bag?” she wondered. Days later, Foster was researching the impact of plastic bags on the environment, and could not ignore the disturbing findings. At the time, Americans were using 1 billion plastic bags every day; by 2050, there would be more plastic than fish in the ocean. When Foster returned to the U.S., she was unable to find reusable bags anywhere. She was astounded that seemingly no one knew about the damage they were doing to the world with their plastic bags. Foster decided to take matters into her own hands and 1 Bag at a Time was born.

Foster was a high school English teacher at the time and started by making cold calls to potential customers during her fourthperiod break. She contacted local natural food stores and other businesses that aligned with her sustainable values. In her first year, Foster sold 250,000 bags. She did not have prior business experience but relied on her storytelling skills and literary background to pitch the story of the tragic life of a plastic bag to companies all over the country. The story spread rapidly, and people began to listen, including many large organizations like Ralph’s, the largest subsidiary of Kroger, and Vitamin Cottage, a well-known natural food store out of Colorado. In the same week, both companies purchased 100,000 bags and Foster was officially in business. The next year, she sold 2 million bags. In year 3, she sold a whopping 8 million bags.

Foster created a lucrative, eco-friendly business and touts her success to the passion she had behind her work. “I was mission driven, purpose driven, and I stayed true to who I was,” Foster told the audience on Thursday night. She emphasized the value of being authentically dedicated to a cause, especially in business where values can easily slip amid financial gain and fierce competition. Be sure to check out Lisa D. Foster’s book, Bag Lady, which illustrates her entrepreneurial journey and has earned a welldeserved spot on the Amazon Best Seller List in Green Business.

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opportunities. In addition to towpath leveling, plans are in the works to install a kayak and canoe dock west of 33rd Street NW “where people would be able to kayak or canoe to the west, maybe to Fletcher’s Boathouse and then take a Capital Bikeshare back and vice versa.” Ward-2 Council member Brooke Pinto who helped the mayor christen the new “Georgetown Heritage” canal boat on April 28 also envisions tremendous benefits for the revitalization of Georgetown. “I am so optimistic about the future of Georgetown and I think having the canal boat back in the water and that tours have begun is a real testament to what we can accomplish when we all work together, between our local and federal partners, our wonderful groups like Georgetown Heritage, and the ANC commissioners and community members and the Business Improvement District, to collaborate on how we can bring people back to Georgetown,” Pinto said.

“I’m really enthusiastic for the build-out of a Georgetown Visitors Center, Pinto said “And we put $375,000 from the budget last year to support plans for that. And we think that’s going to be really great for Georgetown residents, for Georgetown University, and for visitors and businesses.” Pinto is also proud to have helped win a 2021 city budget allocation of $500,000 for canal restoration “in partnership with Georgetown Heritage and the BID.”

In addition to cultural enrichment and business enhancement, Pinto also sees canal restoration as an environmental necessity for wetlands and watershed management. Cleaner waterways will enhance Georgetown’s attractiveness for the future.

With the success of canal restoration projects thus far, Georgetown Heritage and the National Park Service are proposing innovative and creative development plans for the years to come. They’ve hired James Corner Field Operations, the cutting-edge urban park revitalization outfit responsible for transforming an old rail line on the west side of Manhattan to one of the city’s premier outdoor tourist destinations – The High Line trail – elevated and artistically embellished above the bustling streetscape.

While the plans have not yet received funding, they envision enhanced decks, platforms and spaces for “gongoozling,” or the act of canal gazing, and a “market plaza” area between Wisconsin Avenue and Potomac Street NW as well as a “cantilevered overlook platform” atop the Potomac (or Alexandria) Aqueduct just upstream from Key Bridge. According to DCist’s Edward Russell, they would be designed to create an “eye-catching view of the locks.”

At Mile Marker “0” of the canal – at the confluence of Rock Creek and the Potomac River – a bridge to the Rock Creek Park Trail and a terrace feature, as well as viewing platforms and added trees and vegetation are contemplated. A bike bridge off K Street and Mayor Bowser christens the new canal boat on April 28. Photo by Bill Starrels.

additional boat storage facilities as well as “tide lock nets” allowing people to recline as if on hammocks above the water are also envisioned. One of the more colorful characters in the whole canal boat operation is “Captain Bob” Solomon, operations manager and boat captain for the “Georgetown Heritage.” For over 55 years, Solomon, a professional engineer, has served as a licensed commercial captain in the D.C. area, having commanded vessels such as the Pirate Boat, DC Ducks, delivery boats, paddle boat operators – you name it. He sees Georgetown’s new canal boat as a boon to businesses and tourism. “This is big time. We need something like this. Tourism is what drives the money and [the passengers] spend a lot of money, especially in Georgetown… I’ve done a lot of these boat tours and they bring in a lot of money.”

D.C. Tourist Mubarik Ibrahim had just arrived by plane from London when his brotherin-law suggested a ride aboard Georgetown’s new canal boat. Ibrahim enjoyed the one-hour excursion. “It’s pretty cool. There’s lots of history, loads of information that’s interesting and eye-opening and it’s a nice little short trip -- and a nice day out, really.”

For more information about the new canal boat, “The Georgetown Heritage,” see Georgetownheritage.org/boat-tours.