(This is not the soapbox I refered to yesterday, it's a new one! enjoy!)
Yesterday, my life was changed probably forever. Yes, it happened at the grocery store. I've been converted. From this day on, I will be one of 'those' people. I, Katie Mohr, will start using canvas bags. And until I buy them, I will reuse my thousands of plastic ones I get on a weekly basis from the friendly checkout baggers.
Here's what my load looked like today:
In the "Meat" bag was 3 items. 2 packs of chicken and 1 pack of bacon. The bacon, which is already sealed in plastic and packaged in cardboard had it's own plastic bag. This was on top of the large package of chicken. Then underneath was yet another bag containing the smaller package of chicken. Good thing those weren't touching or I may not be here to write this blog. 3 bags for 3 items. What?
In the "glass bottles" bag was the salsa as a free agent next to the brown bagged spaghetti sauce. Again, those glass bottles can be unpredictable, I'm comforted that my two tomato based products were kept individualized. 2 bags for 3 items. Getting better? Let's not jump to any conclusions.
Items special enough to be honored by it's own bag entirely: orange juice, whole milk, skim milk, 6-pack of soda, eggs, dishwasher detergent. Count it up folks, that's 6 bags for 6 items. Really???? Really?
My favorite was the 6-pack of Cream Soda that comes with a built in cardboard handle. This item got not one but TWO BAGS around it! 2 bags for 1 item. Errrrrrr.
The happy ending to the saga is that the sweet bagger deemed strawberries able to touch blueberries, bananas and even apricots. A sigh of relief was heard across the land.
It's no wonder our landfills are piling up. It's never been this bad. I remember when baggers started separating the chemical based items from the rest of the food and that was a big deal. Now it is clearly out of hand. Canvas bag seller-man, today is your lucky day.
I completely understand!!! I can't stand the way others bag groceries. Ok, I understand putting the chemical base items into a different bag than food but come on...enough is enough. There have been times that I have "rebagged" somethings before leaving the store and I get some weird looks. Because as you said...I don't need 3 bags for 4 items!!!! YIKES!!!
ReplyDeleteTell Eliot Aunt Manda loves him and give him kisses from me!!!
move to colorado... you'll be in "save the environment heaven". when we got our cars registered upon arriving, bob asked the lady if we needed a safety inspection, she said, "sir, we don't care if you're safe or not, we just don't want you polluting our air"!
ReplyDeletePraise the Lord!! Another Environmental Saving Convert!!! As a member of several (probably too many) groups devoted to saving our planet and the resources God has bestowed upon us, I wholeheartedly thank you for your soapbox! I wish we could get everyone to join the bandwagon!!
ReplyDeleteAnd if you start teaching Eliot now, these things will become old hat and commonplace to him! Yay for canvas bags!!
I constantly rebag things when I go shopping, much to the bagger's dismay! And we use the bags for trash bags. AND, now we are going to start using canvas...something I've always wanted to do but never remember to buy. Thanks, Katie!!
ReplyDeleteYAYAYYYYYYYY!!!!!! I'm so glad you've been converted to the canvas bag idea!!!! It really does make a huge difference. The good news is -- if you can convince your local recycler -- those plastic bags are #2s, which means they can be recycled with the rest of your plastics.
ReplyDeleteHere's the trick to remembering your bags: put them in your car and keep them there.
The cloth bags at TJ's are some of my favorites. Sturdy and intended to fit things like cereal boxes. :)
Enjoy, my tree-hugging friend. :)
If you're worried about forgetting to bring your bags every time, I highly recommend the "Chico bag" (www.chicobag.com). It packs up into a little carrying case that you can put in your purse or clip to your keys. I keep the bigger canvas bags in my car, but sometimes forget to bring them in or am only getting a few things. The Chico bag is a lifesaver!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh you little peace child!
ReplyDeleteThat is so annoying when they do that. One time at Walmart I came home an I had no more than 3 items in a bag. I had SO many bags with ONE item in it.... like one little can of ricotta cheese. WHAT??? And, there really is no excuse... when I load up the "conveyer belt" thingy I always organize my items so that the cashier can bag them easier.
ReplyDeleteBTW... I have a box of toys/books to send to you. I just haven't made it to the post office yet.
you crack me up -- we must not be very environmentally friendly here, i've truly never even seen anyone at the store toting the canvas!
ReplyDeleteI hear you. There's been times when I have left the grocery store with almost fifty bags!!! What's the point of putting one item by itself.
ReplyDeleteMy other pet peeve is when they fold the plastic deli bags over and place the price sticker over it. Come on... they are already resealable bags, once they put the sticker on, it rips the bag when you take it off, therefore needing another bag!!! Sorry this could have been a post alone but you probably understand. Do they do this in your area?
Let me guess... you shop at Schnuck's?? They are the worst at wasting bags!!!
ReplyDeleteI went real quick this evening and counted thinking of you... I had less than 20 items and I had 8 bags!!!
I too, organize things on the belt for them to make it easier to pack things together, I tell them not to bag things like milk and juice jugs... it's just ridiculous.
I actually often rebag things while I'm standing there.
I still use the plastic or paper, because we reuse them for a lot of things. It is getting out of hand though, because I know a lot of people don't think about it and take like 2 dozen bags home with their carload of groceries and just throw them away!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI just have to tell you all that I was scared to death to go to work last night, and with each customer I kept thinking...are they going to be mad at me for bagging the way I was told to bag groceries????
ReplyDeleteThanks for adding to my wal-mart cashier paranoia! :)