Monday, August 4, 2008

this is random....

I've been looking at the reusable shopping bags for some time now at grocery stores. It just seemed like something I should be doing since it's an easy way to help the environment. Some reasons I put it off was, well, #1: paying $1 for each bag, #2: some of the bags seem ugly, dumb reason I know, #3: Peer pressure. Would I look like a dork?, #4: Are they practical to lug around with you?
Well, I was in Fred Meyer the other day and they of course had all of theirs out on display. I loved them. They were all black with a subtle print on them. They also have 2 different sizes. I ended up buying a total of 10.

I LOVE THEM.
So, to answer my above concerns....
#1 yeah, it cost me 10 bucks but it was o.k. Every grocery store gives you a 4-5 cents bag refund when you use reusable bags in their store. (It doesnt' matter what store the bags came from) So if you end up using 6 of the bags they subtract around 30 cents from your bill.

#2 okay, some look better than others which doesn't really matter anyway, but I really love my black bags. They're almost sleek. I feel cool lugging my groceries around.

#3 I don't feel like a dork at all. I actually feel very hip. As you walk out the store with your cart full of these bags, passing everyone with their plastic ones, you feel like you're making a statement. I also think more people will follow suit when they see others using them.

#4 They're not a hassle. I just keep a pile in my trunk and when I go shopping I take as many as I'll probably need and throw them into the shopping cart until check out. Sure, it's more work than not using them but big deal. They're also very strong. They don't rip, no double bagging. They don't cut through your hand when you're carring 5 heavy bags at once. They even help insulate your cold items a little.

I really don't ever want to go back to plastic. If you've ever read anything about the negative impact plastic bags have on different facets of the environment, you learn that they are surprisingly harmful in the quantities that people use them.

2 comments:

Carlene said...

I'm totally with you. Those bags are really popular up here. I started with the Fred Meyer bags, also. Now I have some from several different stores that people have given to me. I like them way better than plastic because they are sturdier. They are much easier to use if you go to a place where you bag your own groceries. And they are easier to stack in the car because they retain their shape!

Olinselot said...

I used these bags just this weekend for the first time, and I really like them. they are really no hassle at all. I think I might invest in some and do it. they work really well.