stop using plastic bags

I went to the store today because I wanted grilled cheese and tomato soup. Before I left, it occurred to me to bring my backpack.

It’s kind of a pain to sit everything on the bagging tray so it’ll register as having been sat down, and then taking the time after I’ve paid to put everything in my bag—I felt like I was holding up the line. I’ve tried putting my bag directly on the bagging tray so I could just put things directly in my bag, but it beeps at me when I put my bag there.

I was left carrying one item that didn’t fit in my bag.

A loaf of bread.

Which, ironically, comes in its own little plastic bag. :)

As a non-driver, this goal goes hand in hand with that. I don’t drive, thus I buy only what I need (okay okay… so I bought lipgloss) and I never spend more than $40 in one shopping excursion. This fits my lifestyle right now and I love it.

Since I work at a dining hall, I don’t buy groceries that often. When I do, it’s usually a spur of the moment thing, so I don’t have my backpack on me.

For instance, this week my mom came down to visit me and bought my groceries. I saw the reusable Kroger bags RIGHT THERE but felt bad about spending my mom’s money to get them, so I sucked it up and used three plastic bags.

I don’t know how much the reusable bags cost, but dammit, I’m buying at least two the next time I find myself in Kroger.

Also, I’m thinking of finally getting around to crocheting a bag out of plastic bags, and maybe seeing if the management will let me hang it up somewhere in the market, with a note saying something like, “I’m wasteful! Don’t use me!”

That, or I’m tempted to just hide the plastic bags and only give them to people who ask. You have two hands, you’re buying a soda and a sandwich, you don’t need a bag!!

I take my backpack to the grocery store to cart home my groceries anyways; why haven’t I done this already?

Oh yeah, that’s right: because I’m watched like a freakin’ hawk in the stores. Not only because I have this empty backpack, but because I tend to have “unnaturally” colored hair which upsets a lot of the older generations and makes them think I’m some sort of hooligan.

So I would go in with my backpack but not put my groceries in that; I’d actually wait until I got out of the store before I did it, just so that those stupid people wouldn’t even have the chance to accuse me of stealing stuff.

No more!

Dammit, I’m just going to take my backpack and use it. If they want to check it before I start using it to bag, they can do so, although I’m going to express my indignation at the fact that by being eco-friendly, I’m being accused of shoplifting.

I also have cut all of my plastic bags from my apartment last year and made them into a big ball of plastic yarn, which I’m going to make into a sort of bag. I don’t know if it’s going to be usable or not, but at least it’d be a cool art project to have around.

And maybe I’ll take it to the local grocery store and ask if they have reusable bags for sale, and if not, why not, and ask if I can help somehow. A bag crocheted out of plastic bags would be a great piece to show people just how wasteful plastic bags are, and would be a great attention-getter for the selling of reusable canvas bags.

My family actually does reuse plastic bags in our little trashcan bins, but I’d like to just eliminate plastic bags in my apartment.