Wednesday, January 04, 2012

Far Away

And here's another thing about plastic bags. At the Windfall Market (our town's independently owned grocery store) they deduct a nickel off your total for every reusable bag you bring in. Let's just say up front that a nickel is not much of an incentive to begin with but - I would argue that when I do remember to bring in my canvas bags I can fit four times as many groceries into them as I would be able to get in one plastic bag. So shouldn't I get 20¢ per bag instead of just 5¢? Shouldn't the policy be a nickel for every plastic bag I am saving the store by not using?
I do not know the answer to this but last time I was in Windfall with my bags I had three bags but only enough items to warrant the use of two. The bagger argued to the cashier that I should get 15¢ off my order, a nickel for every bag brought, not a mere 10¢ for actual bags used.
If that's the policy I could start bringing my entire reusable bag collection into the store, which is upwards of 10 bags, plus the half dozen my husband keeps in his car.

song: Far Away • artist: Nickelback

2 comments:

mauishopgirl said...

I don't really think much about how much cents I get for my reusable bag, they could give me nothing and I'd still bring it in, not really the point for me. But I think if I had to witness the bagger/cashier debate, I would be annoyed.

Hows this for incentive? The county of Maui does not allow plastic bags at any retailer since 2011. So we all bring our own, groceries do offer paper bag alternatives. Most stores don't even ask any more, they are so accustomed to people bringing their own. I leave a bunch in my trunk and those foldy ones in my purse.

Joanne said...

That's brilliant Tania, I wish the state of Massachusetts was as progressive as Maui. The nickel off thing is just ridiculous enough to be funny. Maybe if instead of a nickel back, they charged people a nicker per plastic bag, it would have an impact.