Saturday, April 5, 2008

The Commissary Just Got Cooler!

When I was still researching Finland, planning my escape, before we got Spain orders, I learned that they pay a small fee for plastic bags in stores. Many people there, then, keep those bags and reuse them in other stores. I thought it was a fantastic way to cut down on waste. And I HATE having all those plastic bags in my house, but I cannot bear to throw them away! It is almost like littering now.
Not long after that, I saw that Ikea (a Swedish company) started the policy of charging for bags. Or you could by a sturdier bag that was better for more uses. I was so proud to see it in the U.S.
Around that time, in entertainment magazines, stars were seen carrying the ultra chic and super expensive bags used for shopping with these words on the front of the bag: I AM NOT A PLASTIC BAG. See? Even the cool kids were doing it!
Soon after that, Vonns started carrying lil black fabric bags to be used in place of grocery bags. They were 99 cents, and I picked up a couple everytime I went, and eventually had enough to not need those plastic bags! Even Target began carrying cute lil red bags that folded up and zippered close. They were small enough, that I began carrying them in my purse to be used in any store, so that I could avoid a plastic bag. Also, MANY stores have the policy of a small discount if you bring in your own bag!
Then I went to visit Jess in Hawaii, and being the ultra-hippie she has become since Maggie (way to go Maggie!), she had a ton of Chico bags. Fabric bags that squish up even smaller, so they are easier to carry around at all times. They run a lil higher in cost, but they are made of sturdier material.
Completely hooked on the no plastic-bag solution, I went to visit Grandma in TX. Even in the stix of TX, they had the lil black fabric bags for sale at the grocery store. I explained what they were for to Grandma, and told her that we may someday go the Nordic route of charging for plastic bags. Grandma said that she would wait until they "made" her buy the fabric bags. Can't win them all, eh?
After TX, I went to CO. I began preaching my bag politics to them. They patted me on the head, listened politely, and ignored me. Then I bought a few of the bags from the grocery store and a few from Target and actually put one in Grandma's purse. I am hoping I have planted the seed.
Mom made the good point that the plastic bags can be useful at home. And she is totally right. But inevitably, you will be somewhere without your fabric bag, or you will forget to use it, and you will bring some plastic home. This smaller amount of plastic bags, I am sure, would be all you need for things like the kitty box or trash.
Now here is the cool part! Yesterday, I saw that in the commissary here on base, we now have lil green fabric bags for sale!! I am so excited to see that the military family is jumping on the bandwagon! YAY!
Are you on the bandwagon??
BTW, here is an Post on this from another funny blog.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Grandma refuses to use your hippie bags. She gives them to Cole when he is being loud. you tried...

Jenn: said...

;0(