I’ve been meaning to post on this one for over a month now, and finally, here I am! I am extremely excited about this, because, as many of you know, I have been struggling with making trips to the grocery store as green as possible – which is difficult if you visit the bulk bins and produce section as much as I do. Look around and you will see plastic bags and twisty ties at every corner.
So what’s a Green Witch to do? Get organized.
First, you need to start collecting (or sewing) bags that you can use in these areas of the supermarket. I found some amazing produce bags (picture above) several months ago from Whole Foods. Technically, the cashier is supposed to deduct the weight of the bag (which is written on the bag’s tag), but in six months, I have only found one cashier who knew how to do this. (You can read my story about my first few uses of these bags here.)
As for the bulk bins, there are several options. Look on Etsy, for one, where you will find some great bags. These bags look great, too. I also highly recommend these bags, and these, both from reuseablebags.com. I just received some for Christmas, and though I haven’t yet used them, I’m so excited. The former will be perfect for rice, nuts, and other such items. Maybe flours, too, though I’ve not yet tried that.
Image credit: reusablebags.com
Image credit: reusablebags.com
As for me, I mostly use the plastic bags (I know, cringe) that I receive from Mountain Rose. I would rather not use plastic bags at all, but I buy from Mountain Rose every month, and therefore, receive several heavy-duty plastic zip-top bags from them on a regular basis. I sometimes use these bags for traveling with snacks and such, and on occasion, for organizing purposes, but I have to say, I find them really useful for the bulk bins. Again, if I didn’t have them, I wouldn’t make a point to buy them and use them – I do my best to avoid plastic at all costs at this point in life. But since I can’t get the items from Mountain Rose that I need without the consequence of the bags, I figure it is better to put them to good use!
The bags I get from Mountain Rose reused as bulk bin bags!
Now, how to avoid the twisty ties? They add up, believe me. Before I honed this system, I ended up with a drawer full of twisty ties with bulk bin codes written on them. I tried to reuse them, but they are so cheaply made that they only last two – maybe three – times. The answer? Start keeping records of your favorite store’s bulk bin codes and put them on the bags before you shop.
For cloth bags, this can be achieved by cutting out a scrap of fabric for each bag and writing the bulk bin code and the item description (just in case), and adding a safety pin to the top. This way, you can take the coded fabric scrap off the bag before washing, and reattach it before your next shopping trip.
For me, with my plastic bags, I simply write on the bag with a Sharpie. I typically buy the same amount of each item each time, so I rarely need to use a different bag for the same item. But if I do, I simply rub off the code with rubbing alcohol and write a new one on. I also take a Sharpie with me to the store, with blank bags, just in case I find a good sale, or forget something I need. If you use cloth bags, you can simply bring fabric scraps and safety pins with you, or use a twisty tie as a last resort.
Now, of course, you will need to bring yet MORE reusable bags for the “final bagging” process. Most stores now give 5-cent credits for each bag you bring, which is great.
As you can see, you need to be organized if you want to be a Green Shopper. This is why I’ve found my version of menu plans to be indispensible. It helps me build my shopping list, which I carry in a little organizer that you can find at most stores (it is a foldable “book” of sorts with a pad on one side, a pen in the middle, and an accordion-style file on the other side for coupons). I have one large reusable bag into which I put all the other reusable bags (shopping bags, produce bags, and the pre-prepared bulk bin bags). I also put in my little organizer, and a Sharpie, and then I’m off.
The things I take to the grocery store...
So it’s true, it does take some time to prepare (don’t forget, you will need to collect those bulk bin codes). However, I have found that shopping trips go SO QUICKLY in this manner! Especially at the bulk bin, where I now simply scoop, seal, and walk away. No more messing with the store-provided bags, the twisty ties, writing the codes down, etc.
If this is something you want to try, be willing to be flexible and patient. As I said, almost all the cashiers I have encountered do NOT know how to deduct the weight of the bag from my produce items (or so they say…). Considering the fact that the bags weigh only .06 pounds, I don’t care. Most cashiers will be accommodating to your green methods. As I said, I did have one gem of a woman not only deduct the weight of all my bags, but also gave me a discount for every single bag I brought, including the produce bags! She was awesome.
However, I have also had a few cashiers look at me and say, “What do you expect me to do with all these bags?” Believe it or not, many have been annoyed and/or confused by my bags, at which point, I explain that I am cutting back on plastic, and to proceed as s/he would with someone who had used plastic bags, instead. A few have even been confused as to how to package my items – since the produce is already in reusable bags, do I want them in the larger reusable bags, all together? At which point I say basically what I had said earlier: To proceed as if they were normal plastic produce bags, and yes, I want them in the bigger bag so I don’t have to carry seven small produce bags on their own.
So yes: You will need patience, and flexibility.
Currently, my major green challenges at the store consist of packaging issues. I’m not at the point where I can make my own bread and tortillas, for instance, so I buy both at the store (Ezekiel brand is my fave). However, when I finish the contents, I’m left with a big, zip-top bag in the case of the tortillas, or a large open-top bag and plastic liner in the case of the bread. I try to reuse the two bags, and actually find the tortilla bag pretty helpful. But the bread liner usually ends up in the trash (another cringe) and eventually, I’ll end up with more of these bags than I can use. Any ideas…?
So…happy shopping and please share your green grocery tips with me.
Copyright: A Green Spell
http://greenspell.wordpress.com
Thank you.
