When I brought canvas shopping bags with me into a grocery store in western North Carolina last year, little did I know that I would offend the check-out person. Apparently, she was insulted that I didn't want to put my purchases in their disposable plastic bags. My colleague, Sue Cameron, had warned me that she also has encountered similar resistance when she uses her string bags at the store. What I find amazing is that more people don't try to reduce their use of disposable plastic bags. Plastic waste is a huge problem around the world, and plastic bags account for a large portion of it. Sure, you can recycle plastic shopping bags, but something like 80% of all disposable bags are unaccounted for. They are either in landfill sites or blowing free somewhere. You can estimate the impact of your own plastic bag consumption with the Bag-O-Meter. It doesn't take much to reduce consumption of these plastic bags. Last year, in Australia, a national "Plastic Bag Famine" campaign was mounted and participants reduced their plastic bag consumption by 70%. This year, the country of Eritrea banned the use of disposable plastic bags. You can also help reduce this waste by bringing your own stury carrying containers (string or canvas bags, reusuable plastic tote boxes, a backpack, a basket, etc.) when you shop at the grocery store. You might run into a little resistance, as some people working the check-out lines are insulted when you use your own bags, but don't let that dissuade you. Just this week, I was asked "What's wrong with our bags," when I started putting my things in my canvas bags. I was getting ready to explain how I am trying to reduce waste, when another cashier cut in with the following remark: "Those plastic bags are a terrible waste and they often end up choking birds and turtles." A little support goes a long way.
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