It used to be that when you brought your own bags to the grocery store, you got a strange look from the cashier which said "oh, you're one of those wacky tree huggers". After all, you interrupted the normal course of events where the cashier asked you the famous "paper or plastic" question and proceeded to pack your groceries accordingly. When interrupting a robot, it didn't compute.
No more. In fact, cashiers often ask if you've brought your own bags if they're not the first thing you placed on the counter. And most grocery stores now give you credit for the bags you bring; usually a nickel per bag. That makes sense because the stores not only realize that we're saving the environment, but saving them money by bringing our own bags.
But First, A Word From Our Sponsor:
Top Comments recognizes the previous day's Top Mojo and strives to promote each day's outstanding comments through nominations made by Kossacks like you. Please send comments (before 9:30pm ET) by email to topcomments@gmail.com or by our KosMail message board. Just click on the Spinning Top™ to make a submission. Look for the Spinning Top™ to pop up in diaries posts around Daily Kos.
Make sure that you include the direct link to the comment (the URL), which is available by clicking on that comment's date/time. Please let us know your Daily Kos user name if you use email so we can credit you properly. If you send a writeup with the link, we can include that as well. The diarist poster reserves the right to edit all content.
Please come in. You're invited to make yourself at home! Join us beneath the doodle...
|
Even better, we have a plethora of choices for our reusable bags. When I started buying reusable bags rather than re-using the ones I had, I bought the cheap and flimsy bags the grocery store offered. Those weren't the greatest since they couldn't be washed and soon Big Plastic was out there with stories about contaminated bags. After all, plastic bags are (were?) big business and if too many people starting reusing bags or buying their own, there was less money for all those who depend on ever increasing profits being funneled into their already bulging pockets.
My current bags are colorful, lined for easy cleaning, leak-proof, and thermally insulated to keep hot things hot and cold things cold. They also fold neatly and I keep them together in another tiny bag in the trunk of my car ready for action.
I'm also not getting those strange looks as often when I bring my own bags into other stores, as well. Last nights run to Walgreens and todays to the hardware store with my own bags were met with a nod and smile from both cashiers. I no longer feel alone.
Still, I do accumulate plastic bags when I stop and shop unexpectedly, but those get used for litter box waste and as liners for my waste baskets. They don't go into the trash after a single use of bringing something back from the store.
Some places are starting to ban plastic grocery bags and that's a good thing. Those suckers live forever and using them once is a waste.
So, BYOB and smile when you do. You're putting your beliefs into practice.
How incredible is this? For an explanation of How Top Mojo Works, see mik's
FAQing Top Mojo
Top Pictures for yesterday. Click any image to be taken to the full comment. Thank you jotter for the awesome image magic!