I’m careful with New Year’s resolutions. I don’t like to set myself up to fail. But this year I did resolve to stop using plastic or paper shopping bags at the grocery store. Initially I thought I would make my own canvas bags. It seems a bold move to me. I mean, how many shoppers do you see presenting their own bags? How many shoppers do you see reusing bags, for that matter? About 10 years ago there was a brief period when the stores were pushing the recycle / reuse philosophy. It seemed to cycle away. But as I’m thinking along these lines, suddenly there seems more media hype and another spell of interest.
I notice Albertson’s, Safeway, Rosauer’s and Grocery Outlet all selling shopping bags at a nominal fee -- $.99 per bag. I probably can’t make them for that. At the same time, I wonder how that works. Can I use Grocery Outlet bags at Albertson’s? I’m sure Grocery Outlet wouldn’t mind but Albertson’s might. Why do we have to put names on bags? In the name of saving the environment, couldn’t we just sell generic bags everywhere and encourage their use? (Do I sound like Andy Rooney?)
Well, here we are at the second month of the year and I’m slow to act on my resolve. While shopping at Safeway the other day, I decided to go for it. I grabbed two re-usable 99-cent bags off the rack. When I checked out, the associate said, “I see you brought your bags,” whereupon I explained I still had to buy them. (And now I wonder – are they just going to take my word for the fact that I have paid for these bags? Maybe they don’t really care?) The associate pointed out the virtues of using such bags, including that each time I bring them to the store, they will reimburse me 3 cents per bag. The “box person” stuffed all of my groceries into the two bags and I could barely lift them. Maybe they should have suggested I buy yet another bag, which clearly I will have to do. Now I suppose I’ll have to repeat this process for each store on my route . . . or make my own bags.
Now – I just have to remember to take the bags when I go to the store. . . KW
4 comments:
I've thought about buying those bags, but I need bags for school. This time of year the kids get so soaked at recess that they need plastic bags to take their sopping mittens, snowpants, etc. home without getting everything in their backpacks wet. Enter the humble, much maligned plastic grocery bag. Numerous books saved from a soggy death yet again. You won't believe how many I go through in a year. When I retire I'll use others.
Dan says if you are going to use grocery bags, paper bags are the best. He says it's not the trees that are the issue--it's the landfills, and paper is biodegradable and provides a use for pulp. My resident expert speaks. I listen, but it's those expensive books I long to save at this point.
About plastic bags: your local dog shelter is always in need of plastic bags for dog poop. Also material for the landfill when placed in those terrible plastic bags, but who's willing to grab up those feces for a biodegradable solution? Not I.
I also support saving the books. After Armageddon we'll have perfectly preserved American literature and canine excrement. It could be worse, I suppose.
Reduce-Reuse-Recycle. You all are reusing and recycling. I have way more sacks than I can use, so I am reducing. Dan's comment is enlightening because I thought we were killing trees when we use paper bags. I think they are more expensive for the stores; in fact, only Rosauer's gives me the option of paper. Perhaps the others have it if I ask. Mike took 4 plastic sacks full of plastic sacks to a CashTyme employee whose little girl needed them for some project at school. KW
SHOPPER’S REPORT: When I went to Safeway, I did remember to put my purchased shopping bags into the car but forgot to take them into the store. Before I checked out, I parked my cart and retrieved the sacks. Once you buy the sacks, it seems to be some sort of declaration that you don’t want any plastic sacks, and they will stuff your totes as full as they can and apologize for the use of plastic to protect frozen goods, soaps, etc. Hmmmm.
Post a Comment