It’s funny how once you incorporate a practice into your life, it becomes bizarre when you realize it’s not common practice. This happened yesterday when I was at the grocery story. I was back for a few items for the bread I was making as well as meat for dinner.
When I went to check out, the lady behind the counter wasn’t all that together, and while I was grappling with the many demands of the credit machine, she bagged my groceries in plastic. Didn’t even ask – not about paper vs. plastic, much less if I had a bag. She had just watched me take everything out of my reusable bag a few moments before, by the way. When I stated I had a bag, she asked, rather disgruntled, if I wanted her to change it. Well. Yes. DUH.
It’s not just I made a resolution – and easy one to manage, I’m finding. It’s not that it’s environmentally better. Not even that she used two plastic bags to my one only half-filled reusable. Nor even the stupidity of her question and lack of short-term memory. What honestly momentarily astounded me was that plastic was even an option. THEN all the other flooded in, but initially I looked at my items in those odd things, and thought, “what are they?”
I kind of like that.
2 comments:
SOOOOO true!! We recycle EVERYTHING and compost in the summer and it has become such a habit now, that we keep cups, bottles and cans in our cars when out, instead of throwing them away, so we can recycle. And while my office is diligent about recycling cans and paper, we don't recycle plastic or paper cups (ala Starbucks). So I find myself throwing them away, smacking my head an hour later, and then fishing them out to put in a different bag I have for recycleds to take home.
I hate it when they bag things in plastic bags. At least paper you can recycle. Plastic, not so much. I always carry a Chico bag in my purse, and have a bunch in my car. The great thing is that the larger grocery stores give you a 5 cent credit for bringing in your own bag. Get on the reusable bag train, people!
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