Trisha Flueger Hood and Tree Saver
We’re all familiar with the cliché, “It’s in the bag.” We interpret it to mean that something is sure to happen. But a new take on it appears in Your Future is in the Bag, the autobiography of Denver-area entrepreneur Trisha Flueger Hood, who created and operated Tree Saver, Inc.
Do you carry reusable fabric bags when you go to the grocery store? Do you use them for other shopping or utility purposes? If so, you’re helping protect the environment and you’re connected to Trisha!
Trisha and her late husband, Don, cultivated a lifestyle in which small changes enabled them to be “Earth- friendly.” From there, Trisha expanded her interest to consider how individuals could take simple steps to protect the environment, and, in 1989, she established Tree Saver. The business concept was simple: replace paper and plastic bags with reusable materials.
Trisha designed and patented a bag featuring handles like those on plastic bags, and a square bottom similar to a paper bag’s. Tree Saver distributed products across the United States, and soon the concept was imitated and became commonplace. Ask Trisha if small things can make a big difference and she’ll smile and tell you, “Sure! It’s in the bag!”
History Colorado holds the Trisha Flueger Hood and Tree Saver Collection (Mss.03098). It contains correspondence, educational and promotional material, photographs and examples of the reusable fabric bags Trisha designed and used in her business. The collection is available for access through the Hart Research Library. Trisha recently recorded an oral history of her experiences with Tree Saver, Inc. for History Colorado, which you can play below: