Plastic Produce Bags From Hell

I’ve been away for a long time. I haven’t felt very “revolutionary”, what with the season of quiet and introspection that is Lent, followed by a big family vacation out to BC, putting in new backyard, and in the midst of all that, trying to sleep train a very resistant baby. But there have been ideas simmering.

I try not to get all rage-y when I come here to write stuff, but this one makes me absolutely nuts: people who use plastic bags for produce at the grocery store. Yes, I know they’re free. And yes, they seem very convenient. But they are totally OVER-USED. And when they get home and unpacked, they almost always go directly into the garbage. SO MUCH WASTE. I want to tap the shoulder of every person in line in front of me at the grocery store and give them a stern talking to when I see this badness.

(deep breath, calm thoughts)

I know, like most things in our convenience-drive culture, this kind of thing will take some effort and discipline and preparation to change. But it can happen!

The very best idea? Reusable produce bags, comme ca:

(My friend Wenke gave me these for a wedding shower present – I love them!)

The thing is, though, they’re easy to forget at home, so you have to stick them in a purse or stash them with the other reusable grocery bags you take along shopping. They’re available all over the place (you can order them online from a multitude of suppliers if you google “reusable produce bags” or you can buy them from places like Grassroots. OR you can make your own OMG! Side note: I am just learning to sew – forgive the seemingly unbalanced excitement.)

Alternatively, if you must get plastic bags, you can reuse them at home. We wash ours out and then when I make bread, or get big bunches of kale in the Good Food Box, I use them to keep it all fresh. They’re handy and they prevent me from having to use saran wrap.

Finally (and this may seem radical), you don’t have to use any bags, you know. For real. Your bananas are already attached at the top, and you peel off the skin before you eat them. The plastic bag is doing absolutely nothing for them. And 4 apples are not going to go all haywire and disappear into the crevices of your shopping cart. Almonds? Okay, almonds I can understand. But cucumbers?! Absolutely not!