Good Riddance Grocery Bags--Hello Fanny Pack?

by Andrea Millar — April 18, 2008

I was pleased to hear that Whole Foods is no longer carrying plastic bags, and that San Francisco's mayor had banned the bags within the confines of the city. If you've ever experienced colder climes, you've probably seen how plastic bags wind themselves around the bare branches of trees for 3 months until the only respite is springtime rolling around.

However, my excitement was tempered by a tiny voice saying that I could barely remember my wallet sometimes; how would I always remember to keep a grocery bag on me? I went out and bought the Whole Foods bags. They were fine in theory, everything bag-like that a bag should be, but they were bulky and a little ugly and they often got left. I accepted that I would use a paper bag when I absolutely needed one, and cram stuff in my pockets, armpits, neck-pits, and crooks I didn't even know I had the rest of the time. With all the GMO'd stuff that sneaks into my diet, I'm hoping I'll grow that third arm one of these days.

Or, as eco-chick Olivia Zaleski suggests on her blog, explore other options. Many companies are tackling this issue. Although I'm not very fond of little square squishy things hanging off my belt loops, I am OK with keeping a little ball squished in my pocket, ready to challenge anyone to, well, any game involving extremely light and small balls. I'll invent one!

Here's also a short list I came up with:

• Write "BAGS!" on your grocery list, at the top, big letters.
• Go the ball route, but add weight. Hacky sack grocery bags? Eh?
• Stick bags everywhere. If you're like me, you have a bunch of plastic grocery bags crammed somewhere in spite of all efforts to avoid it. How about one in your glove department, the passenger seat crease, wherever!
• You need a bag? We need a $20 deposit.

Well, it would help me anyway...