Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Green me

It was so satisfying last night.

The District has a new tax, 5c for every bag you receive in a store to put your purchased items in. Paper, plastic, it doesn't matter, every bag is a nickel. They say they're going to earmark the funds to clean up the Potomac but it's a pure revenue-raiser, like red-light cameras. It doesn't matter, it's a good idea.

I walked into work yesterday morning after buying three bananas for a dollar at my usual coffee outlet with the bananas stuffed into my pocket. They went in yellow and firm and came out black and mushy. When the cashier offered a bag, I just said, "No."

Last night I went into the supermarket on my way home and actually brought in a cloth bag with me. I had bought this weeks earlier to use for recurring purchases but this was the first time I had remembered to bring my own bag along. At the cash register, after ringing me up for 18.90, they shoved my purchases into my bag and collected the total of 18.85. You get a nickel credit at Giant for "bringing your own."

Cool. I'm green, man. Me 'n the Hulk.

Lessee. The bag cost me 1.99 so I need nineteen more trips to make it pay for itself. If I split my purchases in half each time, swinging around to the back of the cash line again with the rest of my items after making the initial buy...

9 comments:

Kelly said...

Indiana is a little behind on this idea. I have my own bag, and I like to use it (it's bigger than those plastic bags, so it saves 2 or 3 plastic bags), but every time I bring it to the store and hand it to the bagger, they give me death stares. They find it a huge hassle to have to pack a bag other than their own.

Anne said...

You can buy three bananas for $1?! We get one at that price, if we're lucky. Keep it green, P!

Unknown said...

They run you out of Seattle if you ask for a plastic bag.

A Plain Observer said...

that all that enforced here in NY but encouraged. I use the bags I get at races to bring my workout stuff to work (when I forget my gym bag). I am yet to remember to bring it to the store.

Sunshine said...

When our son lived in Seattle, he encouraged us to bring our own bags.
I have come to prefer reusables because they don't tear or lose their handles and don't pile up to be recycled.
But I think each person should decide what they can do for the environment, in a cooperative effort. If bring-your-own-bag doesn't work for you, do something else. And write your delightful posts about it!

Anonymous said...

I inclination not concur on it. I assume warm-hearted post. Expressly the title attracted me to review the unscathed story.

Rainmaker said...

I think you ought to go through the line for every item in your cart. Bonus round!

Sunshine said...

That anonymous needs to get a life.
The same comment, word for word I think, appeared on my blog. I deleted it.

Keep warm.

ShirleyPerly said...

I like that idea of either charging for bags or giving credit for bringing bags. That would probably be the only way for me to actually get in the habit of bringing bags to reuse. I recycle plastic bags diligently, though!