I was at the local Ralph’s over the weekend and found out something interesting.
Apparently, and this was according to the manager who was working at the time, checkout baggers don’t ask their customers, “Paper or plastic?” anymore due to the increasingly-high cost of paper bags.
So they instead ask, “Is plastic okay?” It’s very subtle, but that’s their way of steering customers towards the cheaper plastic bags instead of the more environmentally-friendly paper bags.
Last time i checked you still had to kill trees to make paper bags…
I’m a bastard. I always go for the plastic. Easier to carry.
i don’t understand how paper bags are more environmentally friendly. if they are made from recycled paper i do understand, but otherwise they seem unfriendly.
what makes plastic less friendly? they can be recycled too. most grocery stores have a can where you can put your plastic bags when you are done with them: ie, you bring em back next time!
i always go plastic!
I went to my local Ralphs a while ago, & I decided to bring in my two T.J.’s canvas bags to use instead of theirs, and I got like a 7 cent discount for each of the bags (they said it was ’cause I was saving them money not having to give me theirs). I don’t think they’ll always do it without you asking…
More investigation needed…
As long as you dispose of each properly, it’s pretty much a wash. The most important thing, because we live on the coast is to make sure the plastic bags don’t end up in the ocean because they do cause a lot of trouble out there.
But here’s a good article about it:
http://www.grist.org/advice/ask/2002/06/04/umbra-grocerybags/index.html
As always, the cycle is reduce, reuse then recyle.
Oh, don’t even get me started on Ralph’s and the bag debacle. Personally, I find the paper bags MUCH easier to carry. Less bags, better for your hands. Easier to store and reuse. However, getting paper bags at Ralph’s is another thing entirely. They haven’t done away with them – which 100% seriously, would be the end of my patronage there – but they often don’t ask you, or they’re out of them. Sometimes they don’t ask and then when I notice and say, paper please, they put my groceries into paper bags WITH the plastic bags still on them! Sometimes they underpack the paper bags, which drives me mad. AND they ALWAYS act like I am a giant pain in the ass to have a preference. Or like I’m SO SILLY to want paper.
How could anyone prefer plastic? It doesn’t hold as much, the bags twist around your fingers. There’s no stability. Oy!
OK, I’m a bit tweaked on the bag thing, obviously! :)
I agree with Hexodus, plastic can be recycled too… I’m also engaging on getting canvas bags for shopping and not depending on disposable bags anymore.
Hey you might think that plastic is a great resource compared to paper because you can find it more. Its great, but see you dont really know what happens with your “synthetic” materials after your done with it. Yes you recycle them but, there are is so much work to be done in the plants, and its an expensive and time consuming process. Trust me, its coming from someone on the inside