A Bag!!!! Are you kidding me!!!!

[smee2]

Here in Canada the idea of Reuse or Recycle changed the bagging procedures more than fifteen years ago. At that time the grocery stores that were almost box stores but not quite, and charged the least for everyday items, which attracted a lot of people ... well, they were offering plastic bags, with their own advertising on them and in a bright color that is associated with their store name, for a nickel, and then a dime each. 

 

It took many years for the strongest of the grocery chains to get into the recycle business, but not by charging for bags. The bags were free. But at every juncture ... when entering the store, when checking out, and on almost every grocery aisle ... somewhere there would be a reminder that by purchasing the canvas/cloth bags they sold (again with their own advertising on them, like we become a part of their advertising campaign that they don't have to pay  for) would keep us from adding to the dump sites a plastic material that takes decades to rot "back to the earth" and thereby stop us from creating more garbage that is not recycled or reused.

 

Then they went a step farther and offered a place to put your old grocery bags (plastic) and again made you feel guilty if you were not using their cloth recycling bags.

 

Well, they pressed the guilt button enough that I finally started buying the bags. I now have recycle bags from two grocery stores, three pharmacies, two large chain "department" stores, my insurance company (I only ever carry an envelope out of there but hey, it is free advertising for them} Canada post, and my favorite ... when my husband died he was cremated. His ashes (now called cremains) were put in a box. The box was all securely taped up. Then, the funeral home, put the box in a dark blue cotton bag that had their logo on the outside, and did not crack a boo in giving it to me. I almost laughed. I am sure my husband would have laughed at the fact that he was being presented to me in a recycling cloth bag with the funeral home's logo on it. Oh well; ... such is life.

 

Now, all of these darned cloth bags are folded up and stored in two of the largest of the cloth bags. And every time I go into my local grocery store I am faced with a reminder sign ... "Did you remember to bring your bags?" And of course I feel this deep sense of guilt because all of them are still sitting in a corner in my home, being ignored. But, I still have the funeral home bag, still with my husband inside, still in the van I drive. (My plans for his ashes do not include him coming into the house. When I die my executor will simply mix my ashes with those of my husband, and let us go in a perpetually sunny spot.) 

 

Anyway, the point of my long dissertation here, is to say that the business of paying for the bag is the first step in trying to get people to stop using plastic bags, and not an attempt to stop us from using paper. In fact, in most stores that charge for a plastic bag, you can ask for paper, and if they still have any, they will give you one with no charge. But that only works if you are in a store that has them at the check stand. If not, then you are paying for plastic or on your own ... make sure you have big pockets!

 

 

smee2

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

 and my favorite ... when my husband died he was cremated. His ashes (now called cremains) were put in a box. The box was all securely taped up. Then, the funeral home, put the box in a dark blue cotton bag that had their logo on the outside, and did not crack a boo in giving it to me. I almost laughed. I am sure my husband would have laughed at the fact that he was being presented to me in a recycling cloth bag with the funeral home's logo on it. Oh well; ... such is life.

***///

 

SMEE --- loved that you shared this story...!    Thank you! 

[mcdinarut]

I took my 2 daughters to sears a couple of months ago. It was my oldest daughters birthday. We had driven about 2 hours to get there. My youngest was 8. Apparently she had become extremely car sick. We were at the check out and she told me she was going to barf. The checker had already rung through over $100 in my purchases. All I needed to do was swipe my card. My daughter was holding her hands over her mouth. I asked the checker for a plastic bag. She told me it was against store policy to give me an extra bag. Needless to say- my daughter spewed in the middle of the store. And I left without a plastic bag- or a purchase.

[Slaydadea]

I took my 2 daughters to sears a couple of months ago. It was my oldest daughters birthday. We had driven about 2 hours to get there. My youngest was 8. Apparently she had become extremely car sick. We were at the check out and she told me she was going to barf. The checker had already rung through over $100 in my purchases. All I needed to do was swipe my card. My daughter was holding her hands over her mouth. I asked the checker for a plastic bag. She told me it was against store policy to give me an extra bag. Needless to say- my daughter spewed in the middle of the store. And I left without a plastic bag- or a purchase.

[KiaKaha]

I took my 2 daughters to sears a couple of months ago. It was my oldest daughters birthday. We had driven about 2 hours to get there. My youngest was 8. Apparently she had become extremely car sick. We were at the check out and she told me she was going to barf. The checker had already rung through over $100 in my purchases. All I needed to do was swipe my card. My daughter was holding her hands over her mouth. I asked the checker for a plastic bag. She told me it was against store policy to give me an extra bag. Needless to say- my daughter spewed in the middle of the store. And I left without a plastic bag- or a purchase.

 

GOOD ON YA!!!

 

KK

MADD for Heather

[Rayzur]

So you had to pay 5 cents for a paper bag because they want to save a tree......but they had no problem with you buying HARDWOOD flooring?    

 

GO RV, then BV 

 

Not to worry... they covered both issues in some cities. Some person put both things  up for vote and both got passed.... the store will not give you plastic anything, charge you .5 cents for a paper bag AND there is a new lumber tax on top of the state sales tax when you buy lumber. I just noticed it the other day looking at my Home Depot receipt. Its not the store, its the law of the city (for bags) and state (for lumber tax)..... So no worries, they will probably get around to it in other areas, making sure the world stays green.... whoever "they" are... 

And I have 10 thousand "store bags" its my own day'um fault for forgetting them... need to train the brain.... its only been a few years so hopefully I'll figure out how to instill the habit within the decade

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

***///

 

Yep, yep, yep, danged hippies.....

 

Reminds us of back in the day when everyone just HAD TO HAVE naugahyde.......

 

The hippies just went nuts over so many little baby Naugas losing their lives so Ricardo Montalban could

sell cars with "fine corinthian leather".... and every pimp Daddy in town had that Naugahyde couch...

 

We tell you, it was a veritable massacree of baby Naugas, boy......    

 

 

 

Hey, hippies.....  we see yer still annoying the folks....!

 

[SnowGlobe7]

wait wait wait...you guys have unicorns...and we can RIDE them?!????!!!!??? 

[SgtFuryUSCZ]

wait wait wait...you guys have unicorns...and we can RIDE them?!????!!!!??? 

*****/////

 

.....Hahahahahaha....!            Good one!

[SnowGlobe7]

What is the unicorns name? Horney?

[Muleslayer]

Not a problem for me as I am bi-sacktual.

[Thaiexpat]

Five CENTS!!!! What bar is that? I need to get over to that one. Always bring paper or Hefty 2 ply. Never use plastic-you can still see whats under it!!

Ahhh.....beer goggles......been down that road.  That's why paying 5 cents for a paper bag in some bars is an equitable deal.

 

GO RV, then BV

[429]

Muleslayer, you beat me to it.

[Farwould]

Yep my unicorns name is Horney and he has a hell of a poker!

You can ride him yer seat is right above his eyes

Thats right us hippies cares about this planet

from trashy folks who just dont care about the earth they live on.

Hippies are about Peace and Love and Unity and Our favorite song

is Kum-ba-Yah.I even have a tye dye tin foil hat.

Please kick this hippy some more while I'm down.

What do I know right?

[Nadita]

Ikea will not give you a bag.. either you bring your own or you buy theirs for 1 - 2 dollars. Costco doesn't provide either except for free boxes or Sam's Club. But other stores in my area still provide bags 

[BJinMontreal]

So I decide to drive to Issaquah, a town near Seattle WA., about an hour and a half away, to go to Home Depot and Bed Bath and Beyond.  I spend a bunch of money at home depot and the checker asked me if I would like to buy a paper bag for a nickle.  I kinda looked at him  wondering if I heard him correct.  I had to buy one because along with all of my hardwood flooring I got alot of small items.  I kinda shook my head and we proceeded to the truck.  Then I go to Bed, Bath and Beyond and when the checker was done and took my money, she pushed all my stuff towards me.  I actually started air laughing and looked at my hubbie and said you gotta be ***** kidding me!!!  I spend this much money and the store can't even offer me a bag!!!!  I spend alot of money at these places and I will never ever shop at either of them again!  Come to find out there are two towns that are doing this.  I'm not sure but I think it has to do with a bunch of tree huggers trying to save the world.  I guess by making you pay for a bag it will make you want to bring in a bag of your own.   My problem is that why can someone dictate to a business owner as to what they can provide there customer, I mean if I bought a cup of soup at Safeway will they have to charge me for the plastic fork so it will make me bring my own?  What is this world coming to!!!  I am sure that town will loose some business because I know for a fact that there are at least 10 people in my family that will not put up with this city government controlling crud!!!  

 

Still shaking my head!!

Grrr

Not tryin' to be disrespectful Carla - butt it's been like that for years up here in the north ...

 

and by the way - I hope they'd sell you a spoon if you was havin' soup ... else you'd go hungry !!! 

[Goldiegirl]

So I decide to drive to Issaquah, a town near Seattle WA., about an hour and a half away, to go to Home Depot and Bed Bath and Beyond.  I spend a bunch of money at home depot and the checker asked me if I would like to buy a paper bag for a nickle.  I kinda looked at him  wondering if I heard him correct.  I had to buy one because along with all of my hardwood flooring I got alot of small items.  I kinda shook my head and we proceeded to the truck.  Then I go to Bed, Bath and Beyond and when the checker was done and took my money, she pushed all my stuff towards me.  I actually started air laughing and looked at my hubbie and said you gotta be ***** kidding me!!!  I spend this much money and the store can't even offer me a bag!!!!  I spend alot of money at these places and I will never ever shop at either of them again!  Come to find out there are two towns that are doing this.  I'm not sure but I think it has to do with a bunch of tree huggers trying to save the world.  I guess by making you pay for a bag it will make you want to bring in a bag of your own.   My problem is that why can someone dictate to a business owner as to what they can provide there customer, I mean if I bought a cup of soup at Safeway will they have to charge me for the plastic fork so it will make me bring my own?  What is this world coming to!!!  I am sure that town will loose some business because I know for a fact that there are at least 10 people in my family that will not put up with this city government controlling crud!!!  

 

Still shaking my head!!

Grrr

OMG Carla, they got that from Canada. They started that here.  They are trying to say they are saving the environment.    You want to start to save the world then start with the nuclear waste. 

 

Groceries stores charge 5 cents a bag and they are plastic. Some of them are so cheap (starting making them thinner after this law came into affect) that they don't even hold your groceries. I've had my stuff fall out on the parking lot (usually when I have heavy can goods)...

 

They sell those large canvas plastic ones for a $1 so you can reuse them. They want you to be enviornmentally friendly.  There are a few stores that do not charge and give you the bag for free...like Walmart (and yes I am ashamed to say I do go there once and a while) but otherwise you have to stuff the merchanise in your purse or bring your own bag or take the groceries in the shopping cart out to your car/van/truck and throw it into the trunk so it can all roll around together.  I hate it.  It's a scam.  I have purchased some of those canvas bags so I don't have to buy the cheap plastic ones but I keep forgetting to take them with me. (and no it's not a blonde thing).

 

I don't remember the last time I ever saw a paper bag given out for groceries. Maybe in the 70's...   Some places do give you nice bag, like bath and body works, when your purchasing all those bath gels and lotions.

[jonjon]

Reusable grocery bag carried nasty norovirus, scientists say

[KiaKaha]

Martha Stewart did a spot a few years ago how to fold plastic grocery bags like footballs (remember folding paper like footballs?) and keeping them in a ziplock bag. I keep 10-12 in a sandwich sized bag in the glove compartment of the car. GREAT for the diaper bag, too... thank goodness I'm past THAT stage of life!!! I used to take the time after every grocery shopping trip to fold them, but got bored with it. Got the kkiddos doing it as well.

 

To remember to grab your cloth bags, maybe you should write yourself a note on top of the grocery list? Or just throw them in the trunk when you get the groceries unbagged? I saw a really cute idea to reuse t-shirts that are stained or holey, they repurposed them into grocery bags. Cute idea, pretty quick and easy if you have a machine and the 15 minutes it would take to make them.

 

If it ever came to it in my area, I carry a large purse anyway, I'd just toss a dozen bags folded in and be ready for anything!

 

KK

MADD for Heather

[Muleslayer]

Go easy on putting groceries in your purse. Makes the cameras go crazy tracking you :@

Muleslayer, you beat me to it.

Sorry 429 you can come out of the closet/ pantry first next time:)

[silverfox5963]

can you use one store chain canvas bag in another store,or is that not good form?anyone?

[Goldiegirl]

can you use one store chain canvas bag in another store,or is that not good form?anyone?

Yes that is considered proper "bag etiquette"....in grocery stores...not clothing stores