Starting Jan. 1 San Jose began a ban on plastic shopping bags. All stores. There are a few exceptions - restaurants can still use handleless bags and you can still put your fresh produce and meats in handleless bags as well. At check out, if you want a paper bag you may choose to pay 10 cents a bag.
Los Gatos city council did not institute the same ban. Since we do most of our grocery shopping at the Safeway on Union and Los Gatos Almaden, we don't have to remember to take bags in with us. None of us have tried out the mall yet, nor Target or any other store for that matter to see how things are fairing. I'm yet to learn if the Macy's bags we used to get for "free" will now show up on our receipt with a 10 cent charge. Will they ask us if we want a bag or not? The stores must charge 10 cents for paper bags.
So, yesterday, I stopped into the Safeway on Almaden Exp and Camden, (San Jose). Just a quick trip. I forgot about the new ban. I figured no big deal, I don't have a lot to buy. As I wandered the aisles, back and forth looking for the few things I needed, I saw Cuties. I always take them out of their little boxes. I decided to keep the box this time, I'd use it at check out to carry some of my stuff. Just like Costco right? Just on a much smaller scale. :-) At check out the gal informed me I'd get a free bag since I spent enough money. So, easy enough - used my free bag and my Cutie box.
Wasn't so bad.
But really...how am I ever going to remember to bring bags in with me all the time?
How many do I bring in? When I shop at Target, do you think I'll curb my spending based on how much room I have in my bags? (I know the answer to that one, "no" - I'll just dump everything into the cart.)
Who uses reusable bags?
What do you do to remember to bring them with you?
I'm a very spontaneous shopper. Is there any hope for me to ever leave a store with my stuff in reusable bags? Or am I destined to load and unload loose merchandise from now on?
8 comments:
Wow I think that is very cool! Especially on our recent trip to Cali I was impressed by how much they recycle. I always want to be a "byob" shopper but never remember to. I saw a lady pull one out at my store recently. I was made of nylon or something but it stuffed into a tiny little bag (kinda like a sleeping bag) and she just had it attached to her purse with a carabiner. Pretty clever! Good Luck figuring it out!
When you empty the bags take them right back out to the car.
We used reusable bags in Lincoln ALL THE TIME! I totally told Nathan that one day plastic bags would be banded and I'm so happy to hear the first place (that I know of) to do it is in my growing up hometown! I think it's great!
Sometimes we forgot them. That is inconvenient! But it helps to do what my mom said. Put them all into one of the bags, put it by the door and then the next time you go out to the car put all the bags in the car so you have them for spontaneous trips.
It's also annoying to have the bags in the car and forget to take them into the store! We did that A LOT! It did help that one of the stores put big signs on the cart return places that said, "don't forget your reusable bags!" That store also PAID US $.05 for every reusable bag we used.
I also have one I got from target that folds into itself and zips into the size of a wallet (very thin wallet if folded nicely). You could probably find a few of those to stash in the car or one for your purse for spontaneous trips without the bulk of your bags.
We have not used reusable bags here. We need to get back into the habit.
It is nice to have those plastic bags around the house though. We use them as garbage liners. I guess we could use no liners but it's nice to have liners when you have sticky, goopy, mushy kid's stuff in the garbages. We also just use a BUNCH of the plastic bags as stuffing for a door draft we made. Beans and plastic bags stuffed into a tube of material. Works wonders.
Great post! I love how California (and my mom) taught me how to recycle. We ALWAYS recycle and it makes our garbage only one bag a week.
Man! I am long winded. Sorry!
KATHY!!
I came across your blog through Becky. How are you my long ago friend?
I LOVE your blog. You look great and have a great family. I have so many fond memories with you while we were kids--chaperoning Bruce and Sandy at the beach etc. I think I shaved my legs for the first time at your house! Ha!
Sending love over the miles to you! Alicyn
This ban would not be good for me. I use the plastic bags for garbage bags in my bedroom, office, and bathroom garbage cans. Jason uses one for as his lunch bag each week. And I would never remember to bring the reuseable bags with me.
I was just thinking the other day that I need to start bringing bags with me to the store, I already have several. I think I'll put thim in the trunk right now so they are there when I need them.
Ah, California. So, they can't get their budgets straight but they can ban plastic bags and toys from happy meals??!? Well, why I think it's probably "environmentally" better to bring your own bags, I can't help but think it's just another reason why I could never live in California (except one huge plus would be living close to family!) :) But that's just the bleeding conservative in me.
Instead of banning them, they should provide some incentive to bring your own. I'm always for choice!
But for those of my friends who do the reusable bags, they just always keep them in their trunk. I guess you'd have to get used to putting them back in your trunk after using them. Good luck!!
I didn't get through Becky's comment before posting - but that's what I'm talking about! Pay someone the $.05 to use reusable bags. That's incentive!! :)
Post a Comment