Paper or plastic? Paper might seem better, but really the answer is neither. Here’s why avoiding paper bags is important, and how to do it.
How often does this happen to you: you walk into the store looking for the fresh ingredients for dinner tonight, or just to stock the fridge. You browse the aisles, probably picking up items that weren’t on your list, and eventually make your way to the cashier. And then it hits you—you forgot your reusable shopping bags at home!
It’s easy to do, especially after that one time you remember to bring them. They come inside when you get home, and once emptied they hang on the hook to “help” you remember to bring them next time.
If you’re like me, you have quite an impressive collection of bags. Some were gifts, some are really nice canvas totes, one is your Co-op Owner bag (sign up now to get one of those!), and the rest have been collected over the years from various stores. You probably even have a favorite.
Well, I’m here with what hopefully serves as more motivation to finally remember to bring your reusable shopping bags every time you shop.
Many businesses around here started charging a small fee to use paper bags after Great Barrington banned single use plastic bags. I get it; paper bags are more expensive than the plastic ones. But the Berkshire Food Co-op decided this, albeit small, fee was still not something we want to pass along to you, our shopper.
The thing is, though, paper bag production is more wasteful than that of plastic bags. According to WM (formerly known as Waste Management), paper bag production uses 40% more energy, releases 50% more pollution into the air, and produces 94% more waste water. You can read more about the impact of paper bag use & production on their website, wm.com.
Besides the environmental impact of paper bags, though, we have another tidbit to encourage you to remember your reusable bags. Did you know each paper bag costs 27¢? The one with the handles that we most commonly use at our registers. And even those 27¢ bags rip at the handles so we often double bag your groceries so they don’t spill in the parking lot.
We currently spend about $1,500 a month on paper bags. That’s more than my monthly rent. Seriously—over 5,500 bags a month! 27¢ doesn’t seem like a lot, and it’s not when it’s one charge every once in a while because you forgot your bags, but it adds up quickly. And there are better, more sustainable things we could be doing with that money.
For example, we’ve wanted to start a program for the hot bar and salad bar where you buy a stainless steel container and use it for carrying out your lunch, and then trade it in for a clean one the next time you’re in. We’d include a discounted hot bar and salad price as incentive to take advantage of this program, and the containers would be sturdy & durable. Maybe the money we don’t spend on paper bags can be used to finally start this! And we wouldn’t have to use as many to-go boxes anymore, either.
So, what can you do? Maybe it’s a given, but remember your reusable bags. Here are some tips to hopefully help you with that:
Return your bags to your car or bike as soon as you’re done unloading them.
Set a timer for 5-15 minutes when you walk in the door. When it goes off, that’s your reminder to stop what you’re doing and bring your bags back to your car or bike.
Start keeping your bags in a really inconvenient spot. Chances are if you have to step over them to leave, you’ll probably remember them.
Rotate your stock! Keep half your bags in your car or bike, then use the other half for your shopping trip. That way you’ll have some for next time. (This is what I do.)
Add “bags” to your shopping list.
Keep a reusable bag on you! We sell a few brands like Baggu and Full Circle that pack down into small sizes to keep in your bag or on your keys