I love me a good tote bag, and collect them when I can. Last year, Joe caught on to this trend, calling me the Imelda Marcos of canvas accessories. He forbade me from acquiring any more of my own means. For Christmas, we got two more, and immediately designated them as grocery bags. Not only is it better for the environment to bring re-usable bags, but it puts some of my dozens of canvas bags to regular use. I used one on a produce run to Whole Foods on Monday, and they gave me a keychain for my effort. It was just the extra pat on the back that I needed.
Yesterday wasn't such a feel-good experience. I took the tote to Shoprite for a regular grocery run. I figured that it's silly to carry a big empty canvas bag AND a shopping basket, so I openly put my food into the bag. I got a lot of sideways glances from shoppers and employees thinking I was shoplifting. At checkout, despite my insistence, the bagger kept putting food into plastic bags and THEN into my canvas bag. I had to explain to her that I was trying not to use plastic bags at all.
I left shaking my head and feeling like a delinquent, and I think that this is part of the reason why people aren't embracing green movements as much as they should. It takes confidence and social reinforcement as well as education on the part of traditional stores to really make a difference. Let's hope that more stores follow Whole Foods' examples.
Oh, and if you need a tote bag, I've got a few extra.
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