Submitted By: Kim Curiel (kimcuriel@yahoo.com)
Challenge
I wanted to change my habit of using the paper and plastic bags at grocery stores. My pantry was full of paper bags, I had sacks and sacks of plastic bags even though I tried to reuse them whenever possible around the house. I kept forgetting to bring the bags with me into the store, or even to put them back in my car.
I started buying less expensive bags (just .99 each) at Whole Foods then at Trader Joes, so that I'd have plenty of bags on hand. I then decided that I'd buy more bags if I forgot to bring mine. I also made a promise that if I'd forgotten them in the car I'd walk back out and get them. I ended up with about 15 bags.
Benefits & Payback
Trader Joes started rewarding customers for bringing their own bags with a chance to win a weekly raffle of $25. I won! That paid for all of my bags and then some. Trader Joe's Manager told me that they save $10,000 a month on bags with their new reward program, which costs them $100. Plus they sell the bags to you. For them it's a win-win-win. For me, I don't have stacks of paper and plastic to deal with, the bags never rip and I use the bags where ever I go now. Bringing my own bag saves resources and reduces greenhouse gases in several ways; the manufacturing of these bags creates tons of greenhouse gases, additionally the cutting down of trees to make paper bags reduces the amount of oxygen put into the air.
Informational Links
Check out this link to get a visual on plastic bag waste (among many other incredible visual displays)
http://www.chrisjordan.com
