weaning off plastic grocery bags
I bought some reusable grocery bags while checking out at the supermarket the other day. I don’t know why it’s taken us so long to get some. The number of plastic bags we bring home from the grocery store each week (and then shove under the sink to be recycled later) always horrifies me. So I’m feeling good that we’ve now finally taken the plunge and are cutting off a big source of our “transitory plastic.”
The only problem is, it’s not easy to remember to take the reusable bags into the store before you start shopping. So you (or maybe just I) find yourself in line with a cart full of groceries and the realization that you’re sans-bags. And I’m ashamed to say I usually don’t get out of line in these cases. I doubt others do either. Consumer habits are very hard to break.
An idea: Environmental groups ought to give stores free signs that they can put up in their parking lots to remind customers to bring their reusable bags into the stores with them.
