Everywhere I go these days I see those plastic shopping bags. You know the ones with the handles. The ones we have stuffed into every crevice and crack under our kitchen sinks. They're the same ones that crafty types stuff into dolls or other cutesy creatures so as to be neatly and easily dispensed. But I'm not talking about seeing the bags hanging neatly from a rack at the foot of the checkout counter. I'm talking about the plastic tumble weeds dancing down the street, rolling into the hills, stuck in trees or sailing on the wind.
once they're done hauling our boxes of Rice-a-Roni and Cheez-its home from the grocery store, they seem to have a life of their own.
Every time I go shopping I bring home at least six. Six thin plastic bags that I swear I'll recycle but which end up either tossing directly into the trash or using to line smaller garbage cans instead. Their numbers just keep growing.
I've had enough. This past month when I went to a grocery store I bought a reusable tote to lug my purchases home. I now have canvas (and canvas-esque) bags from Hannaford, Shop and Save and Trader Joe's (my personal favorite).
Since making this decision to eliminate the environmentally challeged bags from my life I have learned two very important things:
1. These reusable bags hold an amazing amount of food items ... way more than anyone ever packs in those silly little disposable bags.
2. I will NEVER remember to bring them along when I go shopping. I wonder if anyone makes a doll dispenser for reusuable shopping totes?
5 comments:
I just made this switch, too, after realizing that many grocery stores don't even provide paper bags as an option anymore. I would wind up with ONE item per (doubled) plastic bag. Aarrghh!
Those totes do hold an amazing amount.
I keep mine in the car, but if you're walking to the store, you really have to ingrain taking them as a habit.
The best part is when you get to the cashier and they look at you and ask if you paid for that bag already. Trust me, it'll happen.
I anticipated that. I plan on taking the Trader Joe's bags to Shop n' Save and the Shop n' Save bags to Hannaford.
Leave em in the car. And also at Hannaford, you get a .5 credit for each bag you use.
went to the store today for a few things ... there were six new totes in the car. Did I remember to take one into the store with me?
Nope. I got four items from produce bagged and in the car before I remembered the bags. Instead of being my usual sloth self, Ittybit and I abandoned our cart near the make-your-own coffee booth, where I was eyeing a cup of high test, and went out to the car to retrieve the bag.
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