Reusable Bag Challenge Update - How Are You Doing?
Just checking in to see how everyone is doing with their reusable bag challenge this month.
How I’m doing:
My grand total count of plastic bags in the house this month - counting all produce bags, basic grocery bags, and bags from other stores is - 1.
I got one plastic bag. AND you won’t believe how stupid it is that I got it. Totally dumb. But luckily there’s a lesson. Stay tuned.
Basically I rarely shop. Rarely. I don’t like to shop except for records so that makes it pretty darn easy not to shop. I like to look, but that doesn’t require bags. Really, it’s very rare that Cedar and I go anywhere shopping other than the grocery store, and occasionally the pet supply store.
How I got my bag was this way - I broke routine. I went and bought a movie at a video store. Normally that wouldn’t even matter, because a movie is small. Normally, I’d just stick it in my everyday bag and go. Anyhow, they had a movie I wanted that no one has, so right away I was gleeful, thus easily distracted.
I get my movie, walk up to the counter, and the girl says, “Hey, you can get three movies for $20! Do you want to grab 2 more?” My first movie alone was $15, so 3 for $20 sounded way better than good to me. Cedar and I go pick out two more movies and are pretty happy that we’re getting 3 for $20, so we completely ignore the girl at the counter as she puts the movies in a bag.
In fact, I don’t even notice I have a bag until I’m in the car. Then I think, “STUPID!” Geez. I haven’t EVER gotten a bag for something measly like 3 movies.
Moral of this story: Don’t let a break in routine, or a nice surprise, like a killer deal distract you from your everyday intentions.
Not that I’m not happy with my movies, but dang.
Now, how are you doing? You can’t possibly have a worse story than me.
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POSTED IN: Recycle, Reduce, Reuse, Save Money, Shop Green
13 opinions for Reusable Bag Challenge Update - How Are You Doing?
Joe
Jun 10, 2008 at 12:53 am
Very much the same experience. Had to run into a shoe store as my son’s slip-ons were in tatters.
Distracted by trying to keep the kids from touching everything on the shelves, before I know it, I’m out the door with shoes in a bag. Had I brought it back in, she would have just thrown it away.
Lucinda
Jun 10, 2008 at 2:30 am
I went to the grocery store with my bags, picked out what I needed and went to the checkout stand. I usually chat with the cashier so I wasn’t paying attention to the person bagging my groceries. When I got home I saw that that the bagger had placed my packaged chicken in a plastic bag! I hate it when they do that. All the packaged meats are wrapped so well to begin with that there’s no need to put it in an extra plastic bag, but when I skip the bag they will put the meat in one unless I tell them not to.
Peggy
Jun 10, 2008 at 2:55 am
Lucinda, I also find that baggers do that with loose produce, like two apples. I don’t get it, unless they’re trained to always bag meat and produce separately.
Isn’t it difficult to watch the bagger, the scanner to make sure things are ringing correctly and not twice, and scan you debit card at the same time? Also, sometimes you’re still putting things on the conveyor belt while they’re bagging.
I think someone needs to write a Think Green! for grocery store managers ; )
Joe, I’ve had that similar experience except I got the person to de-bag it before I left the store. Still, I wonder… do they keep those bags? Once they’re off that rack thing baggers love so much, I doubt it. : (
kisha
Jun 10, 2008 at 3:12 am
So far I have 1 bag and it was a stupid move. I was over at a friends house and she gave me 3 loves of bread, without thinking she put them in a plastic bag and I got all the way to the car before I relaize it was in a plastic bag.
Jennifer
Jun 10, 2008 at 3:35 am
So three of us were distracted and did silly little things, and poor Lucinda was at the mercy of poorly trained clerks. NOT BAD. I think I should take back my “STUPID” because here it is the 10th of the month and so far for four of us, that’s only four bags. Not bad at all.
@Peggy you didn’t say how you’re doing? Also, are you going to write that book? Seriously, it’s not a bad idea. I wonder if training is different at co-ops and places like whole foods? I haven’t been to a natural food store in a while (far away), but it seems like I remember them having less issues with my reusable bags than at regular grocers.
elleno
Jun 10, 2008 at 7:05 am
I was doing so well…and then I ordered my groceries to be delivered from Peapod, which saves me time AND gas because they deliver the groceries to my house (a small, guilty pleasure). I totally forgot when I placed the order that they generally put ONE item in each bag so I got maybe 15 bags! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr. Now I have to go to the grocery store to recycle them. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
DramaMama
Jun 10, 2008 at 8:05 am
Well I have a new one. I mean a new story but 2 new plastic bags. We were at a hotel for the weekend and in all the fuss of my brother getting married I forgot our laundry bag. So my husband used the one the hotel provided for laundry and asked for another for wet swimming suits and towels! Argh…He’s usually pretty good about telling cashiers he doesn’t need a bag and even reminding me, but I guess in the hotel we all just reverted back to our usual conveniences! I will say that it was weird that the hotel didn’t have plastic bag liners in any of the trash cans. I noticed that and at first thought it was gross but then remembered that it was a lot better for the Earth! So good for them. Too bad they have lazy guests like us who counter act that step…we’ll have to be plan a little better next time! Not too bad for the month though. Thanks for checking in w/us!
Jodi Plume
Jun 10, 2008 at 8:14 am
We went to Target and I forgot my bags in the van. We had a bunch of little stuff, and it all fit into one bag.. but still it is one bag brought in that I didn’t plan on. But this ended up being used when I cleaned the cat box. My bag holder is completely empty (I need to figure a new use for this. Maybe a rag holder?). I have 3 plastic bags being used in the trash cans around the house. Dh was in a hobby/joke shop and bought some dice.. and got a tiny little plastic bag. grrr… but this is in the van for trash.
As for shoes, last time I bought shoes we skipped the bag AND the box and just placed the shoes in our cloth bags. Now when I get new sneakers, I think I’ll keep the box because these are great for craft stuff.
Liz
Jun 10, 2008 at 11:19 am
I’m only doing so so, I’ve collected 5 bags, but really only 2 if you’re counting ones I had any control over. Other people purchased things that brought 2 of them into the house and left the bags behind, and 1 came with a pizza order. Le Sigh. Better than it was, though. The other two times came when I stopped at a convenience store on my regular evening walk. I have to remember to bring bags with me when I go out.
Jennifer
Jun 10, 2008 at 1:04 pm
@Elleno that sucks! However, your issue is a good tip for everyone here. Ask if you have groceries delivered, how they pack them. It’s something to consider that I hadn’t thought of.
Everyone is doing awesome as a whole though. I bet we lower the bag consumption by a ton this month. I’ll have to find some decent average figures and figure it out by the end of the month.
Peggy
Jun 10, 2008 at 11:10 pm
Jennifer, does it count if your spouse brings home a bag? Michael, who never shops, brought home one from the grocery store. He forgot to get the bags out of my car trunk. He also got a garment bag at a clothing store.
So far, I haven’t forgotten my bags, but I did have a Target cashier tell me she couldn’t hold the bags open so I might want to bag my own. I almost told her, “Uh, all the other cashiers have done it.” But I didn’t.
Jennifer
Jun 10, 2008 at 11:56 pm
@Peggy & everyone. I don’t think it should count if spouses bring home bags. Yeah, we should try and get them to take reuse bags, and help them convert. But since this is not the “Convert your partner / kids” challenge, I don’t think it’s fair to count bags they bring home.
Does anyone have any objections?
Jennifer
Jun 10, 2008 at 11:57 pm
PS Good job Peggy on NO bags!
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