paper or plastic?

i recently read an article in my company’s daily newsletter about the eternal dilemma at the grocery store: “paper or plastic”. the answer that the article provided seemed less intuitive than public knowledge would suggest, so i decided to do some googling to find out what other “experts” out there were saying.

so what is the right answer? in the opinion of most experts, including the environmental protection agency (epa), the natural resources defense council, and the environmental literacy council, the best answer is “neither – i brought my own.”

i started using reusable cloth shopping bags about a year ago and always keep a few in the trunk of my car, as well as my husband's. i make a concerted effort to bring them down with me every time i go shopping, but sometimes i forget. however, instead of taking the easy out and ask for "paper or plastic", i ask the cashier to watch my purchases for a few seconds while i get my reusable bags from the car, or if i am shopping with my hubby, i ask him to take care of running the groceries through while i run to the car to get the bags.

when the items being purchased are small enough to hand carry, i do so, and i also refuse the bag when purchasing large or oddly shaped items like pillows, shelving units or tools - those don't need to be bagged! i’ve got a few inquisitive looks from cashiers, but it’s nothing that can’t be dealt with by saying “it’s for the good of the planet”.

using reusable bags takes only a minimum amount of effort and discipline, but it makes a huge difference on the environment. so next time you go to the store, remember to bring your own bags and you will feel great with yourself afterwards – a definite win-win situation.