One of the casualties of Hurricane Katrina was the city sponsored curbside recycling program. Before the 
storm, I faithfully filled my little blue bin and placed it by the street every week for the recycling truck to come by and empty. Did I make a real impact? In a city that measures the success of an event by the tons of trash produced, probably not. But it sure did make me feel better to know that at least some of the garbage produced by my family wasn't ending up in a landfill, taking up space better used by other items that could not be recycled.
One of my pet peeves is the huge number of plastic grocery bags I accumulate. With 2 kids still at home and 2 that come by to visit often, I buy a lot of groceries. Lots of groceries = lots of those plastic bags. More than I have room for.
But throwing them away makes me feel so guilty! Do I really need all of those bags just to get my groceries from the store to my house? There's something to be said for the Sam's Club practice of not using bags at all...except for the fact that it's a big pain in the butt to schlep everything from the car to the house and I almost always break something in the process. Did I mention that I'm clumsy sometimes?
Then there is The Paper vs Plastic Debate. Plastic - bad. Paper - also bad. And some stores still don't offer any options except plastic. Yikes! What's a girl with hungry kids, dogs and a cat to do?
Standing in the checkout line at the store today, the solution was hanging on the rack - staring right at me from that "impulse buy" section filled with candy, gum, and the celebrity gossip magazines.
For only 99 cents each, I bought 2 reusable grocery bags that held all of the items I was buying with room left over for more. Had I let the checkout lady use the plastic bags, I'm sure she would have used way too many. After all, she tried to put the reusable bags into a plastic bag after she scanned them. Ahem...hello!
Anyway, I figure it's a start to ridding myself of the guilt of bringing home throwing away all of those plastic bags. With a couple of more trips to the store, I should have enough reusable bags to do all of my weekly shopping. Thanks to the folks at Rouse's Supermarket for giving me a chance to focus on all of the other things I should feel guilty about.
Need more information on recycling in New Orleans? Here are some resources:
- Recycle New Orleans - a directory of places that reuse and recycle materials in the New Orleans area
- Take part in a web campaign directed at the Mayor and Council Members of the City of New Orleans, asking for the return of curbside recycling in the city.
- New Orleans Group Sierra Club
- Greenlight New Orleans
- Participate in the City's Recycling Survey
- Sign up for paid local recycling through Phoenix Recycling (No plastic grocery bags accepted)
When buying or selling a home on the West Bank of New Orleans or relocating to the New Orleans West Bank, you deserve local expertise and advice. Lisa Heindel provides full time, professional real estate services to buyers, sellers and military transferees in Algiers, Algiers Point, Belle Chasse, Gretna, Terrytown, Harvey, Marrero, Westwego and more.
Here's the disclaimer part: The opinions expressed here are strictly those of the author, but you are free to share yours in the comments. All information is deemed reliable but not guaranteed.
Copyright 2008. Lisa Heindel, All rights reserved.
Lisa - I haven't seen those bags in our stores here yet (at least not in the larger chain stores - I bet they have them at Whole Foods). It seems like a great solution. We still have the curbside recyclable service, but we really aren't very good at including everything that can be recycled. I am happy if we get all of our aluminum cans in there.
I had to laugh at the thought of the checker putting the reusable bags into a plastic bag. haha. Too funny. What is it with checkers and those little plastic bags anyway? I seem to get home with more bags than products some days, especially when they get into the double bagging thing.
Lisa, can I send you my arsenal of plastic bags so they can be disposed of properly? They really are stacking up around here.
I think they give you so many of the bags so that you feel like you get a lot more bang for your buck. I remember checking out and the grocery store once where I spent $200 and only had maybe 3 bags. I thought it was ridiculous. These days, even with everything going up, I can buy $50 worth of items and walk out with 8 bags. What gives?
Hi Lisa - My town just started a recycling program only a couple of years ago. It can be a hassle but its worth it.
Slidell stopped recycling after the storm. I don't understand why not even aluminum cans.
Hi Lisa, In our county you see those bags in every grocery store. They are inexpensive and as you said good for the environment and our conscious. :0)
I bought some great reusable bags from IKEA for around $1 each. They're really cute, a bit larger, and white with yellow polka-dots! The only problem is remembering to take them into the store with me but I'm working on it! :)
Absolutely. I just bought 6 of them at the Super Giant last week.
Jason, I'm sure they've been there for awhile, but I go to the store with tunnel vision. Get in and get out as quickly as possible with as few impulse buys as possible!
Jesse, she DID! I had to tell her to just push my stuff to the end and I would put it in the new bags. And I know what you mean - do we really need separate bags for everything?
Amanda, I remember when there were actually baggers in the stores and they knew how to pack a grocery bag! Now that the checkout folks just need to scan and drop, they don't even pay attention. Sure, I like my cleaning products in with my eggs...no problem :(
Bill, it's not easy (for me anyway) to be green without the curbside recycling. I really miss it.
John, I think the simple answer is cost, cost and cost. No long term vision.
Mana, I knew CA would be on this way before LA :)
Kelly, now to get an IKEA here - what I wouldn't give...
Lenn, for 99 cents, I figure it's not the end of the world if I forget them - I'll just buy some more and have extras!
These are the best bags! I even use them to cart around other stuff as well. One thing is for certain...those plastic bags I used to collect also attract bugs....if there are remnants of milk etc.
Hi Lisa,
Various stores in our area have been offering canvas or heavy re-usable bags for a few years now. some of them are washable in the machine. I'm getting into the habit of always bringing them with me when I go shopping and it's nice not to be using those plastic bags so much anymore.
Jo
Sally, I feel so behind the times! You are right - those plastic ones aren't very clean are they? haha - my graphic is soursop
Jo, oooohhh, machine washable would be great. Maybe I'll graduate to those eventually. Right now I just have to get in the habit of using the new ones :)
Hi Lisa - i've just recently noticed bags like those in a few of the stores around here. I always ask that the baggers use paper for me instead of plastic - I like the paper bags for trash. Maybe I'll grab be a few of those reuseable bags next time I'm there.
It just occurred to me that those of us who go to conventions several times a year probably have plenty of our own canvas bags since we get them at every convention - maybe I'll use those, if only I remember to grab them and actually take them into the store!
Ann
Ann, using the free bags from conventions is an excellent idea! Once I emptied the bags, I put them on top of my purse so I would remember to bring them back to the car. As long as they are in the car, I'm pretty sure I'll remember to actually bring them into the store :)
Lisa, I read they are stopping the plastic bags here and going back to all paper which is fine with me....they are great and all recycled material.
I have been using reusable bags for a while now. Trader Joe's is great about letting me run to the car to get them when I forget! I'm usually buying so much that I have plenty of time. If it weren't for this stupid grocery habit, we'd be rich!
My pet peeve is now we have the reusable grocery bags, what do I do with all the plastic packaging from the manufacturers? We have an organic waste program so the garbage is reduced significantly. The only problem is, I seem to be filling my garbage bags with plastic wrapping from meat and other items.
Lisa,
I hear you, and also the regular plastic bags are flimsy and can end up breaking anyhow. The WalMart near me gives deposits for the return of plastic bags. Also, one of my favorite clothing stores is selling the cloth bags now. Both of these options are guilt free.
Carole, I wish more stores would use paper bags as their default. I've been given the evil eye by check out clerks who hate the idea of having to pack a bag instead of just dropping a couple of items into those plastic ones. I don't know about there, but here Wal-Mart doesn't even have paper bags - no choice at all unless you bring your own.
Elaine, LOL! With the price of groceries lately, I'm about to put everyone on a diet :)
Gail, good question, since that ends up in the landfills too. What is an organic waste program?
Rebecca, I know our WalMart will take back the plastic bags, but there is no deposit paid, so I don't think many are incented to do it. I remember when we used to return the glass coke bottles for a deposit...it seems like there was not as much litter then.
We got a free bag at our grocery store for the same thing and I turned to my husband and said...oh this is so great we'll start doing this...he replied...we will never be so smart to put the bags in the car again...sigh...we'll at least give it a shot...I think...hope!
Shannon, you're a SMART GIRL :) I bet you can remember to do it!
Lisa, LOL. This cracks me up about the store putting the bags in to plastic. :) I was at a dollar store last night with AR member Mary Bigelow from Michigan. I did the same thing. Bought a reusable bag, the checker put it in plastic. After telling her I wanted to use the bag I bought, she used it, BUT THREW AWAY THE PLASTIC BAG!!!!
I couldn't believe it. Geez. What to do? I should have taken it out of the trash can. :)
Good job buying the bags though! Most people still aren't there yet...or they wouldn't put them in a plastic bag after buying them. :)
Another great article by Lisa Heindel!
This is a great artilce. When I went to bed last night I lay there thinking about my day. I had gone to the grocery store but forgot to use the reusable shopping bag I bought a couple of weeks before! Darn! It is in the trunk of my car. Anyway, I am a ditz, I only bought one bag but of course I should have bought more!
So thanks for sharing your ideas with us. We have a couple of stores that sell the reusable bags and some even give them out, free of charge. It will be the little things people do that will make all the difference for the economy.
Hope you have a great weekend!!!
Stephanie, I'm trying to do my part, but doesn't it just make you shake your head when you see people do something like that? What could have possibly been wrong with that bag that she couldn't have used it?
Terrie, thank you! I know it's just a little thing, but it's a step in the right direction, right? Hope your holiday weekend is going great :)
How times do not change. People did this 40 years ago when I started in the grocery business. many customers would shop with cars and have their own carts in the city stores. Rouses is a great addition and with being local it makes it all the better. The ideas do not have to go to a corp. think tank n some far off city.
Think of the free advertising that Rouses gets. I was in one of their stores yesterday and it looked great. This transformation of the grocery business was all caused by Wal Mart. Just took a while to get some locals back in. Being behind the times can often put you in front again.