I don't do this too often but I have to do this today. I totally broke down today and headed to Wal-mart for some Halloween cake/cookie decorations because my local grocery store didn't have anything left (not that Wal-mart had much either, but at least it was something). Anyway, I am so not here to plug Wal-mart because God knows I hate that place. And today I was given yet another reason. I was standing in the supposedly faster checkout lane for those with 10 items or less and looked to my right where I saw something so very appalling. There was a woman with at least a dozen bags in her cart all filled with maybe one or two items (three tops, but those were small). And she was still adding more. Now this isn't completely her fault because the cashier probably could have packed more into each bag, but no.
I, however, had brought my own bag, which initially freaked out the cashier but once I explained it was a bag so I didn't have to use the Wal-mart plastics she thought it was the coolest.
One another story, I had brought in one of my bags to Target one day. I told the cashier that I had brought my own bag and after she watched me packing everything in them (which by the way annoyed me a little that she wouldn't use my bag to sack my stuff but made me do it, when if I had been using the plastic Target bags she would have sacked everything, but that's another story) she asked a little cynically and like I was crazy, “Why did you bring your own bag?” When I explained that I didn't need 37 Target bags at home after each trip and that I was trying to save the environment, she just shrugged and said, “oh.” whatever.
So here's my plug to help save the environment and cut down on all the damn plastic bags at various stores which don't think that you can pack them with more than 2 items: Buy Envirosax!
These sacks are funky, foldable, and reusable! They hold the equivalent of 2 plastic grocery bags, however I've found I can fit quite a bit into one as long as you bag it yourself - regular baggers don't always understand. You get 5 in a pack and they fit in this little holder that is just slightly bigger than a VHS tape (remember those?). They are great and fit into your glove compartment, handbag or pocket. They also have organic ones if you'd prefer.
You can get them at their link or at Delight.
And please forgive me for going to Wal-mart.
3 comments:
Here you actually get charged at grocery stores for using their plastic bags. Granted, it's less than the equivalent of 10 cents a bag, but it's still marginally prohibitive. Fortunately, our Lewisham grocery supplied reusable bags (since the UK seems to have recently and earnestly gotten on the green bandwagon) that have served us nicely here since. We only ever get a couple bags now and then to use for our garbage.
I forgot how bag-happy stores are back home. If it makes you feel better, I'll be a freak with a reusable, too. Proudly.
I'm not a total bag nazi, I was just really appalled at the obsessive amount of bags that lady had - it was insane. And I get really frustrated at the store when I bring in my own, super cute, large, reusable bag and the baggers will fill it maybe 1/3 full and then ask if I want the rest in plastic...uh, no. First, i don't have that much and it will all fit, and second, if I had wanted plastic I would have just asked for all plastic. Or the checker who insists on putting my chicken, already wrapped in plastic, into another bag of plastic when I tell her no, it's okay, I'm only driving for 5 minutes. "oh no dear, I must put it in the plastic or it'll leak," as she looks at me as if I am insane to even suggest that I don't put it in a separate bag. And I think, Okay, if it's going to leak in the 5 minutes I drive home then I better get another package of chicken because obviously you people don't wrap things securely enough to begin with.
okay...sorry...there was my vent. I do sometimes just take the damn plastic bags, and I do use them for trash on occasion, but I try so hard not to because it just gets to be too much...
Okay..NOW i'm done.
for the record, ikea now no longer gives away plastic bags for free, either. you can either purchase them for $.10 a piece, or you can buy one of their reusable (HUGE) bags for like $.25 or something. they are obnoxious and yellow, but do the trick. i'm sure it will only be a matter of time before the big stores (at least, in big cities ... sorry, moe, soofoo does not yet qualify) follow suit.
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