Manjula goes blogging...

This is a very charming little town called Beauregard in the region of Quercy in southwest France. The stone houses are 200 to 300 years old, whereas buidings in the town center date back to the 14th century. While the architecture takes one back several centuries, the local, ultramodern supermarket, E. Leclerc, is way ahead of many other countries in their environmental consciousness. After paying for several items at this huge grocery store, I was very pleasantly surprised to discover that no plastic bags were automatically provided for my purchases. Having not had the foresight to bring my own bag, I somehow juggled my numerous items in my arms while I waited for friends to finish their shopping. As I watched others go through the checkout counter, I realized that shoppers who had not brought their own grocery bags and needed one, simply had to pay for each of these plastic grocery bags provided by the store. They all came with a simple message: Together, let us protect the environment.