Unconcious Overconsumption

Whole Foods bans plastic bags
Because I shop at Whole Foods, I knew this day was coming. While WFM is making a statement about the excess proliferation of plastic bags, I have to say that of ALL the stores ditching plastic bags, the last one I would have liked to see do this is Whole Foods.

For one, I shop there, and I take public transportation. This means that on the days it is raining, I opt for plastic. Usually I bring my own bags, but there are times were I go there after an appointment, upon deciding to move my schedule around, and I am bagless. Believe me, if it is raining, I want plastic. Whole Foods has always used a higher quality plastic bag. What does this mean? It means it is easy to reuse, to fold up and to stuff in your messenger bag, briefcase, or purse, and because it was of a higher quality, I never had to worry about the bottoms opening up and having my groceries spatted all over between one of two bus stops (now that my Brown Line Station is closed). Do I reuse Jewel plastic bags??? Hardly. I try, but they are cheesy and small, don’t hold much and often when I carry very heavy items, they need doubling, which hardly saves usage.

Where I can walk to a store, I usually use a Zucca bag (reusable tote on wheels in a steel frame that doubles as a seat in a moment of fatigue). When I don’t have the bag, or my own reusable plastic bags, I do need a bag and one with handles. When I use the self check out, I see a lot of people who also bring bags, knapsacks, etc. Those who are aware of over consumption often are careful not to perpetrate it. Then there are those who are unconscious about it…

It is this group, those who are unconcious about their over consumption that need to be reached. It is this group and those who have a general disregard for the world we live in who often toss their plastic bags out onto the street, so that they can either become post-its on the bottom of people’s cars, tree ornaments or artificial urban tumbleweed. It is this group that uses as many plastic bags as possible because they have no awareness, or they don’t care to think about the long range implications. After all, if you do think about it, you might have to think about what the other things one does and eats is doing, to themselves, their loved ones and our home here on this planet