Make a supermarket change from using plastic bags to an environmentally friendly alternative

Thankfully my constant nagging about the environment has paid off around the house as everyone now takes at least the green canvas bags with them when they shop. My family is taken care of but onto bigger issues… the world of a supermarket chain.

After reporting that they were going to be making definite changes and having received items in boxes that could then be recycled I was quite happy but the past two weeks someone with no concern for our environment, or who just wants the pleasure of reading my letters about their supermarkets low standards, has obviously been promoted as we have seen the resurgence of the plastic bag and not just one nor only once. Multiple bags, multiple times. Not good enough!

If they charged their customers for every plastic bag, no one would want them. They must have to buy them from somewhere right? Forget it. Just don’t supply them. Then we’d all have a problem with getting our groceries delivered or home on our own. We’d have to use boxes or reusable bags.

As it is, they don’t take the boxes back as they throw them out which is why I recycle them. Others, like the wholefood/organic place I love reuse their boxes. They just pick them up next time they are in the area or doing a delivery. Perfect. Smart. Logical. Environmental. Cost effectual also.

Obviously a supermarket can’t think so simply. You wouldn’t know it though would you?

I shall persevere. I will see them change from using plastic bags to something environmentally friendly and I will continue to be an annoyance to them until they do. Let’s see how they fare tomorrow!

Usually when I write to this supermarket chain I get a standard “blah blah pass onto superior blah blah” letter in return. This time however a tiny miracle occurred.

First they replied to me within the same day I sent an email and it was dealt with by someone who was extremely professional and knowledgeable. That in itself was impressive considering the imbeciles I had been dealing with the past year, but the best was yet to come.

I was told that they do take these matters seriously & that they hoped in the not to distant future to make further in-roads into this “litter reduction challenge.” Yes, it’s a challenge to stop using plastic bags…

They also said that they would take my suggestions to their (gasp) Plastics Committee for further consideration. WOW, they have a comittee! They can drink coffee in styrofoam cups and discuss how to create less litter. ;)

But this response wasn’t the only response. Oh no, they out did themselves this week.

I was also told that ALL the boxes they deliver their items in can be collected by the drivers to be re-used as well as ANY plastic bags that get delivered too!

Now unfortunately I had to actually ask them if they collected their boxes. Miracles don’t occur too often, but I was not expecting them to say yes nor was I expecting them to mention anything about plastic bags!

If only the rest of the public was informed that their local supermarkets did this than perhaps this “litter reduction challenge” would resolve itself a lot quicker.

In honor of Earth Day I plan on sending this to the supermarket which STILL uses plastic bags at their checkouts. It’s been a while since I wrote, and I’m sure they will be thrilled to hear from me. ;)

Environment impact of plastic shopping bags
The raw material of plastic bags is oil. Therefore, the more we use plastic bags, the more we waste oil – a non-renewable energy source.
The petroleum-based plastic bags take decades to break down, so if they are not recycled they litter. It creates visual pollution: in the streets, on the beaches etc. Also, they can clog roadside drains, which could cause street flooding during heavy rainfall. Plastic bags can be recycled but it rarely happens: according to the United States Environmental Protection Agency, only 1% of plastic bags were recycled in 2000, against twenty percent for paper bags. They endanger wildlife and particularly sea life such as sea turtles and dolphins which can die of entanglement, suffocation, and ingestion because they assume that these bags are jellyfish.

What is being done
For the past few years, there has been rising international awareness regarding the damaging and dangerous impact on the environment of plastic bags. Governments all over the world have decided to get involved in that particular issue: Some governments have decided to ban them: Bangladesh, Bhutan and Zanzibar.Plastic bags should no more be given for free in China from June 1st. These bags are surcharged in Germany, South Africa, Ireland and Israel. Several countries try and promote, trough major retailers, the use of cloth bags, paper bags or grocery bags: United Kingdom (with Tesco), France (with Carrefour), New Zeland.

In the U.S.
Plastic bags are already used less than paper bags by American consumers, and there have been no government actions to further curb their use. But large cities such as San Francisco and Portland, OR, have planned or plan to ban plastic bags, whereas Seattle, WA will certainly launch a 20 cent “green fee” on plastic bags.

What YOU can still do!
1. Reuse your plastic shopping bags: use them as trash so as not to buy others that are more energy wasting; use them for storage.
2. Use paper bags rather than plastic bags when you are given the choice.
3. Use reusable grocery bags, which always have a lower environmental impact.

Source: Get rid of plastic bags! | Earthday 2008

I was amazed to see that even Wal-Mart is providing an option to buy a reusable shopping bag!!! Yeah for them! Today I went to Wal-Mart and bought few enough items that I didn’t need a bag. So, I left the store carrying what I purchased, and as I got to the door, the Wal-Mart lady asked if she could see my receipt. LOL! I guess it looked like I grabbed what I needed off of the shelves and was walking out! So I pulled it out of my pocket and told her I just didn’t want to use a plastic bag. She smiled and said, “Good girl!!!” :)

I love using my reusable bags whenever possible. I hope to set a good example around here.

Wrote to the supermarket again today. I’m asking them to give us the option of having our shopping packaged or delivered in either boxes, canvas bags or plastic. Actually ASK before just packing. Let people choose. Then people may THINK about the world for a moment.

I don’t want plastic. They know this by now. I’m sure I’m not the only one. Most of my delivery isn’t plastic but a little still sneaks in. I take the bags back to be recycled, but how many people do that? Most people still use their bags for cleaning up animal poo or for garbage bags. Note to those people: It’s still putting toxins into the Earth and you are still using plastic bags.

I’ve sent this supermarket chain websites where they can buy wholesale biodegradable shopping bags. I may have to buy these bags and send them to the supermarket myself. It’s hard being just one voice. I need an army of anti-plastic bag champions who stand up for canvas bags! I’m wondering how many other people actually bother to write or speak out about these things? Do they take their canvas bags when they go shopping or do they just accept the plastic crap that breaks down into toxins which poison the Earth?

It annoys me and I wish I could do more. On the other hand, I’m sure I’m doing more than a lot of people. I just hope that what I am doing is enough because I doubt it is.

We hardly have any plastic bags kicking around- only a few for picking up Pink Boy’s “remains of the day”.

I bought a couple cute bags at Ikea for grocery shopping. I was so excited when I finally got to use them…together they hold quite a bit of groceries! The sad part is how confused the check-out lady was that I wanted to use my own bags. Oh well…I’ll keep doing my part and hopefully people will become more aware that they can make a difference as well. :)

My very good friend sent me a reusable grocery bag as part of my Christmas present. It’s great! It rolls up into a ball that can be tossed into a purse. I can take it everywhere!

Everything, absolutely everything, arrived without a plastic bag in site. I am impressed. It’s these small things that make a difference in the world and if I can do this, anyone can. Now, to see if they stick to it and abolish plastic bags entirely in their stores! Dun dun dun dunnnnnnnn!

The last few weeks the supermarket has been doing better. Delivering in boxes with the occasional horrid plastic bag. But they failed me this week delivering the majority of items in boxes but being stupid with several things. For example, do two tiny tins of cat food need to be in a plastic bag? Does tofu need it’s own plastic bag? And some other little thing was in a plastic bag… why? It’s daft and I won’t have it. While I shall commend them on their improvement I shall condemn them on this silly usage of plastic. Even the driver said he preferred delivering boxes because it was quicker and easier. I’ve even noticed that our items arive in better condition instead of being thrown around in plastic bags. So it’s letter writing time again. My dear friendly CEO of the supermarket is about to receive a polite but informative reminder that selling canvas bags is ridiculous and perhaps he should give out canvas bags and sell plastic ones, amongst other things. Time to get to it!

For well over a month now I have been writing to one particular supermarket that I have been using. They home deliver which is convenient for my family at this time in our lives due to circumstances out of our control, however, just like in the shops, they home deliver with goods packaged in the dreaded plastic bag.

Every week I count the bags, and write to the store feedback and tell them that I demand an environmentally friendly alternative. I tell them that this could be an advantage for them if they were the first to “go green” as they would get more business. I was impressed when they delivered most of our shopping in cardboard boxes which could be recycled. I wrote and told them that I was impressed. They deserved encouraging when they do something right. Just as they deserve a reminder of why it is wrong when they deliver all your groceries in plastic bags.

Today I got an email telling me that they will do their best to no longer deliver our groceries in plastic materials while they look for a suitable environmental alternative for ALL their customers.

Naturally I wrote back and commended them again.

I will keep writing every week until this environmental alternative happens. Now I have it in writing, I am going to make sure they make it a reality.