I started using canvas bags while living in CO. They are sturdy and washable, and the stores there credited you $.05 per bag!
Of course, back here in SoCal, they look at me like I’m insane, or some tree-huggin’, no-leg-shavin’, granola-eatin’ earth muffin.
No, thanks, just trying to help, fuck you very much.
When I go to my local Shop-Rite here in northern New Jersey, the checkout has stacks and stacks of paper and plastic bags. If you ask for paper bags, they’ll put the paper bags inside the plastic bags. What the hell? I mean, even if it’s not an ecological issue with you, if you ask for paper, you should get paper! What’s with this furshlugginer mixture business? I find it’s better to get paper bags because I find them more useful for storage and all, plus I can always recycle the accumulation of them when the stack gets too high.
German supermarkets have the right idea. There, you don’t get bags. If you don’t show up with your own container to take stuff home in, then you’d better have deep pockets. I used to shop for groceries in Germany sometimes, and this really does take some getting used to. Shopping in France has its advantage, though: it was a bit more convenient, since I lived in France, and they have better cheeses in France, anyway.
Yup, in Germany you either bring your own bag or pay about 10 cents American for one. However, Wal-Mart has moved into Germany and they’re giving away plastic bags for free. Eeek! I’m hoping this doesn’t catch on, because I like the German system of wasting as little as possible. A lot of the supermarkets here even have trash bins at the exit of the store, so that you can throw away any excess packaging right there. Of course, Germans still tend to shop for food on a daily basis (this seems to be changing) and they pay out the butt for trash pick-up, so it is worth the small amount of time. I’ve also seen those bins at Toys R Us here, which makes a ton of sense, considering how overpacked toys are.
Oops - I should have said, the bins at the store exits are for recyling. It’s very handy to just toss the box from the pizza (if you already know how to make it!) into the trash on the way out instead of having to make a separate trip out to the cardboard bin later on at home.
EJsGirl:
You’re just not going to the right stores in SoCal. Our co-op in San Diego sells canvas bags with their logo. They also give a 5 cent discount per bag if you bring your own.
Ooooohh, is it like a Wild Oats? We had them in CO! Please tell me the name, I find myself in SD from time to time.
It’s the Ocean Beach People’s Organic Food Co-op (just “People’s” to its friends.) Take Sunset Cliffs Blvd. to Voltaire St.–it’s about half a block up on the left. All the best earth muffins shop there.
Speaking for the college guy crowd, the plastic bags are the only way to go. It is law that you’re are only allowed to make one trip from the car to the kitchen, and anything that cannot make it in that one trip must be left in the car until the next time go to the car for some independant reason. This can end up being days. The paper bags are just damn near impossible to carry for than three or so and still be able to open the door. But with the plastic bags you can just keep slipping more and more bags handles over your wrist. You run the risk of cutting your hand off, but it is possible to carry at least 50 pounds of groceries per arm, and still have the fingers free to turn the door knob.
OH, I HATED doing paper in plastic! I HATED IT HATED IT HATED IT!!!1
Ex bag company employee checking in:
I used to work for a large paper packaging company that was desperately trying to make a decent paper bag with a handle.
As you all have noticed, plastic bags are taking over the universe. It is difficult to even find a paper bag in many stores. The reason for this is simple…COST!
Plastic bags are much cheaper to produce (and buy) than paper and they have a handle. Supermarkets and Walmart type stores stay open on very thin margins. They cut cost wherever possible. Since plastic is cheaper than paper, that is what they provide to their customers.
Most consumers want a handle on their bags. My old company made at least a dozen different paper bags with handles. Some of the handles worked better than others, but they were all about 3X the cost of a regular paper bag. Since paper bags are much more expensive than plastic, very few companies purchase paper anymore. In short, the paper bag industry is dying out.
B.Y.O.B.
Bring Your Own Bags!
Then you never have to hear that question (paper or plastic) or put up with small plastic bags or paper bags with no hadles. Just bring your own and your’re set!
tatertot - I like the German system you describe, and it’s not the only place either.
robbaba! thank you for actually responding to the op!
so why not bigger plastic bags? yes it would mean more plastic because they would have to be thicker, but at some point form should follow function!
NO!! Don’t put the Drano and Clorox in the same bag as my fresh fruit!!!
I usually don’t get a bag. I buy a lot of food every day or two, and can just carry it to the car in the same little hands that brought it to the fast checkout line.
But not only do they keep insisting I have to name a bag choice, they also get funny and say “Well, then do you want help taking that to the car?” What? I can’t handle two objects in each hand? Go force yourself on the next old biddy in a walker, and let me pass already!
Norway has a system like Germany’s; at grocery stores, at least, you pay for your bags. Most of the time you only have the choice of plastic, but it is a heavy plastic that can actually be reused. A few stores have started also carrying large paper bags, with handles! They cost more than plastic but they seem to be rather popular.
Our favorite grocery offers big canvas carry bags, and they are sooo comfortable for carrying home. The store is so close that I walk when I can, and I hate carrying plastic bags any distance; even the thicker ones cut into my hands. Yowch. Anyway, the only problem with the canvas bags is that in this house they are forever being “borrowed” to use as book bags, beach bags, etc., simply because they are so good. So we have more than we really need. Still, they are ridiculously cheap (possibly sold at cost? they’re great advertising for the store), so I’m sure we’re saving money compared to buying new plastic bags all the time.
IKEA has terrific paper bags, by the way. I actually have a lot of our seasonal items (Christmas decorations and such) stored in labelled IKEA bags.
I plain and simply don’t think it is a big deal if they give you 1 bag with 2 things in it. I can always find different resources for the bags.
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Pride of the Purple Forever!
To prevent plastic bag hand amputation problems: Find an old garden hose (the neighbor doesn’t seem to be using his), and cut off a piece 4-5 inches long and slit it lengthways. You can get the handles of 3 or 4 bags in it comfortably carry stuff as heavy as you want.
I used this line today, and will never do that again. The clerk got it (she was cute), but everyone else stared and then looked at their shoes until I left.
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I just moved to the States this year. The first time I was asked this question, I was a bit confused and said “Plastic - you do take Visa don’t you?”
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My new van has hooks on the back of the back seat to keep the plastic bags from sliding. Works like a charm. As far as what to do with the bags, a tube of cloth about 18" (45cm) long and 6" (15cm) in diameter, open at one end (Maybe with a loop sewn in) and a heavy duty rubber band sewn into the other end makes a nice place to stash the bags and they dispense from it like an upside-down kleenex box. I bought one at a craft sale in Amish Country, Penn.
If you don’t have the small trash can in the bathroom, they work great to clean up after the dog. Put your hand through, pick up the goods, turn the bag inside-out, and tie. Dispose of when the walk is over. Same thing if the kids spill something that stains (Kool-Ade, paint, etc…) Grab a paper towel through the bag, wipe, and turn inside-out (Paper towel inside) and toss.