Brian Dale Chicago:  To say that people here in Chicago, as well as throughout this country are devastated this week would be an understatement.  Its just impossible to believe that this country could go from having a classy, respectful president like Obama to a reality TV star, caricature who has more than half the country frightened. 

I've written here before about politics and referenced the Tip O'Neill quote that "all politics is local."  However, this has taken on a whole new meaning as we see the massive highly tuned, localization of political interests.  In the current age of big data, real time polling online and elaborate probability analysis, a candidate can highly target specific messages to what I call micro camps.  This could be a group of KKK members in the rural south or PTA mothers in Connecticut.  Its taken on a whole new ability for a candidate to come in and say specific messages to them micro camps, which add up and can get you elected.

We saw that this week. If you're scared, you have every right to be after what Trump has said during his long campaign.  Our words matters.  They can't just be deleted like he loves to do with his Tweets.  They shape and they teach and they matter.  I hope  our president starts to think more carefully about his actions from his Tweets to his actual presidential orders. 

With the Trump presidency, I hope we do not lose the progress we have made with respect to environmental progress and our using recycled materials as well as simply consuming less waste.  (http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/06/nyregion/new-york-city-council-backs-5-cent-fee-on-plastic-bags.html?_r=1) 

This country has a tremendous number of plastic bag bans and taxes which has massively reduced the billions of plastic bags that end up in our oceans, landfills and consume needless oil in their manufacture.  We should be proud of our recent changes and not allow a conservative backlash to unravel our progress. 

Here in Chicago, as well as other major cities across the country, demonstrators are showing that we will not be steamrolled by Trump and the Republican Congress.  I hope that we can use our past successes as proof to the right that these changes have paid off, not harmed anyone and make sense regardless of your side of the aisle. 

So is there reason to be afraid?  Yes.  As Aaron Sorkin wrote this week in an open letter to his daughter "I'm not going to sugar coat this."  (read it in full at  http://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2016/11/aaron-sorkin-donald-trump-president-letter-daughter).

However, I ask that you partake in a thought experiment.  What if Trump said much of what he said to simply motivate the micro camps he needed to simply win.  For instance, I don't believe he is an anti-Semite.  His daughter has converted to Judaism and he has worked with Jews in New York for decades.   Its actually almost ludicrous to think.

I don't believe that he will start mass deportations.  Recently he has spun back and said he would cap only new entrants.  That's tremendously toned down. The infamous Mexican wall may not be built. 

However, I do believe he will appoint conservative justices, pull back progress for feminists, the LGBTQ community and many other minorities.  I do not believe he will economically improve the lot of his rural followers.  I think that civil rights will suffer under him and I shutter to think about his "deal making" foreign policy strategies. 

Here in Chicago, as well as elsewhere, we will spend our time trying to reverse whatever gains he does try to make for himself. And that's good.  That's democracy. Its messy, but let's not sit in fear. Take action in the way you can - locally and in your own way. 

Ironically, the musical Hamilton is all the rage this year.  Alexander Hamilton wrote the majority of the Federalist Papers, but it was James Madison who penned the most famous, No. 10.  In it he states that one of the strongest arguments in favor of the Constitution is the fact that it establishes a government capable of controlling the violence and damage caused by factions. This was Madison's chief concern:  The Tyranny of the Majority.

I can only hope that Trump will stop in one night to see the show and think about the factions that did get him elected.  Perhaps, he will be inspired and realize that as the executive in charge of the Federal Government he has a responsibility to prevent this tyranny. We can only hope at this point. 

Brian Dale
Founder of RunRunRun
Chicago

Brian Dale Chicago:

Hi there!

Most of our customers are retail focused and find our Web site after having purchased a bag at one of our retail partners like The Container Store, JW Marriott or The Metropolitan Opera.  However, a huge part of the RunRunRun business is building custom bags for our fans.

We now offer the ability to do custom bags with your logo in lower quantities.  As low as 16 bags can be customized affordably and its super easy.

Just contact our main phone number at 866-835-8004 or email us at sales at runrunrun.com and leave a message that you're interested in a custom solution and the quantity you're looking for.  Someone will contact you back within 24 hours (usually far less) and we'll get your order started.

Debossing the closure is our most popular option for lower quantities and is really affordable per piece.

Even if you don't have a logo, but have an idea, our designers will put the artwork together for you at no additional charge.

Please contact us with your next project to get started!

Brian Dale, Chicago
Founder, RunRunRun
briandale at runrunrun.com

Brian Dale Chicago: It's now been a number of years and a really large group of consumers are bringing their own bags not only to the supermarket, but shopping in general. That's great.  However, people are not on top of one fact.  The more you use your bags, the more you need to wash them. To read more check this out.  

There's bacteria everywhere in our lives. Many in the science community say that this is a good thing.  We are not scientists, nor do we try to be here at RunRunRun, but all else being equal, it seems a good idea to wash them on a regular basis.

Regardless of whether you use an Italia Shopper from us or a cheap bag from the grocery store, washing them either in the machine or by hand with disinfectant is beneficial to reducing bacterial buildup inside.

All RunRunRun bags were built to be machine washable.  We recommend cold water and do not dry.  Just hang dry the bags. 

We always honor our workmanship and if you have an issue with the quality of the bag after washing, please do not hesitate to contact me directly so we can make good on this.

Wishing you all the best with your RunRunRun totes!

Brian Dale, Chicago
Founder, RunRunRun
briandale at runrunrun.com

Brian Dale Chicago:

Starting Monday, Chicago’s year-old ban on single-use plastic bags applies to smaller chain stores.

Since the law took effect on Aug. 1, 2015, chain stores with floor areas over 10,000 square feet have been prohibited from giving customers single-use plastic bags.  Read more at the Chicago Tribune. 

Instead, those stores have been required to provide customers with reusable bags, recyclable paper bags or commercially compostable plastic bags. Permitted reusable bags include thicker plastic ones with handles that can be used at least 125 times.

Now, smaller Chicago chain stores that are 10,000 square feet or less, including some 7-Eleven and gas station convenience stores, must adhere to the ban or face fines ranging from $100 to $500. 

Under the ordinance, chain stores are defined as being “three or more stores with common ownership” or part of a franchise. Restaurants and non-chain stores are still allowed to use single-use plastic bags, regardless of their size.

I think that this is a step in the right direction.  The intent of the original law passed in 2015 was largely ignored by these retailers when instead of encouraging people to use reusable fabric bags, they simply increased the thickness of the plastic bags they gave out for free.  This does not reduce waste or reduce our reliance on plastic.  It flies against the intent of the original bill. 

Until Chicago restricts the retailers from simply increasing the thickness of the free plastic bags we won't see any improvement in the bags being  used and given away. 

 Already our Alderman Moreno is trying to crackdown on this loophole and I'm confident that Chicago will come around and make the right decision to ban all plastic bags, but its not happening in 2016 unfortunately. 

Brian Dale
Founder, RunRunRun
Chicago 

 More Great Links:

http://www.cityofchicago.org/city/en/depts/bacp/provdrs/enforce/alerts/2016/july/secondphaseplasticbagban.html

http://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/August-2016/Plastic-Bag-Ban/

Brian Dale Chicago founder and CEO of RunRunRun announces that RunRunRun, Inc. (www.runrunrun.com), the leader in eco-friendly travel totes and accessories, will provide New York's Metropolitan Opera (http://www.metopera.org) with RunRunRun totes at the Metropolitan Opera gift shop and for gifts to VIPs.

 “We are greatly honored that the Metropolitan Opera has selected RunRunRun to provide product to their guests.  To be selected by this wonderful organization is a tremendous honor."  states Brian Dale.  "Great design goes hand in hand with our eco-friendly mission and this was a fantastic opportunity to tie that message to the creativity that comes out of every performance at Lincoln Center.  We admire their impeccable standards and feel lucky to have been selected."

RunRunRun, based in Chicago, is known for making luxury eco-friendly totes and accessories.  Launched in 2011 by Chicago entrepreneur Brian Dale, with their signature Italia Shopper and Malibu Totes, the line has expanded to other fashion and travel accessories. Catering to both its wholesale/retail fashion clients as well as its robust custom division, RunRunRun provides its line to individuals, small boutiques, museums, hotels/resorts and other major organizations around the world.

A small list of partner clients include:

The Container Store
The Art Institute of Chicago
The International Spy Museum
The Museum of Arts and Design New York
The Peninsula Hotels
Auberge Resorts
St. Regis
JW Marriott
Miraval
Fedex
Subaru
Food Network
HGTV
Princeton University
Spence School
Groton School

ABOUT RUNRUNRUN:  RunRunRun, based in Chicago, is known for making luxury eco-friendly totes and accessories.  Launched in 2011 by Chicago entrepreneur Brian Dale with their signature Italia Shopper and Malibu Totes, the line has expanded to other fashion and travel accessories. Catering to both its wholesale/retail fashion clients as well as its robust custom division, RunRunRun provides its line to individuals, small boutiques, museums, hotels/resorts and other major organizations around the world.
Visit www.runrunrun.com.

Brian Dale
Founder of RunRunRun
Chicago 

Princeton University chooses RunRunRun - Brian Dale Chicago Reports

Brian Dale Chicago founder and CEO of RunRunRun announces that RunRunRun, Inc. (www.runrunrun.com), the leader in eco-friendly travel totes and accessories, will provide Princeton University (http://www.nytimes.com/topic/organization/princeton-university?8qa) with RunRunRun totes for alumni gifts.

 “We are greatly honored that an academic powerhouse such as Princeton University has selected RunRunRun to provide custom totes for their prestigious alumni.  Princeton University liked our design aesthetic as well as our environmental mission and we feel so lucky to have been selected." states Brian Dale Chicago founder and CEO of RunRunRun.  "Great design goes hand in hand with our eco-friendly mission and this was a fantastic opportunity for RunRunRun.

RunRunRun, based in Chicago, is known for making luxury eco-friendly totes and accessories.  Launched in 2011 by Chicago entrepreneur Brian Dale, with their signature Italia Shopper and Malibu Totes, the line has expanded to other fashion and travel accessories. Catering to both its wholesale/retail fashion clients as well as its robust custom division, RunRunRun provides its line to individuals, small boutiques, museums, hotels/resorts and other major organizations around the world.

A small list of partner clients include:

The Container Store
The Art Institute of Chicago
The Museum of Arts and Design New York
The Peninsula Hotels
Auberge Resorts
St. Regis
JW Marriott
Miraval
Fedex 
Subaru
Food Network
HGTV
Princeton University
Spence School
Groton School

ABOUT RUNRUNRUN:  RunRunRun, based in Chicago, is known for making luxury eco-friendly totes and accessories.  Launched in 2011 by Chicago entrepreneur Brian Dale with their signature Italia Shopper and Malibu Totes, the line has expanded to other fashion and travel accessories. Catering to both its wholesale/retail fashion clients as well as its robust custom division, RunRunRun provides its line to individuals, small boutiques, museums, hotels/resorts and other major organizations around the world. 
Visit www.runrunrun.com.

Brian Dale
Founder of RunRunRun
Chicago 

International Spy Museum chooses RunRunRun for custom totes - (February 13, 2016, Chicago)