While I have been very good at making many changes to my life that support the environment, one change that has been difficult in coming for me has been the use of cloth bags for shopping. For some reason, I just can not make the bags part of my routine. I either leave the bags at home or leave them in the car when I go into the store. It can be embarrassing when I see many other folks successfully using their cloth bags at the checkout counter while the clerk asks me if I want paper or plastic. I want to scream that I want neither but without my bags in hand, I can't. There have been times when I have gathered up my purchases in my hands to avoid the use of plastic bags, balancing bananas, bread and butter while the cashier looks on, wondering why I want to put myself through this act. It feels like my care for the environment is an act too when I can't even remember to do this one simple earth-care step. Last Friday was an exception. I remembered my bags, but forgot to take them into the store. I cursed as I stepped up to the checkout line, but this time, I made myself run back out to the car to get them. leaving my son to ring the groceries at one of those self serve cashier stations. I arrived back in the store, just before my 12 year old attempted to ring up the beer as a worried cashier looked on. This habit of using cloth bags will come hard for me but it makes me realize that different habits are harder for different people. It all just takes time as I move toward embracing new habits that may not feel comfortable at first, but eventually will become part of who I am.
4 comments:
Remembering to bring the bags is half the battle. Often I have them in the car but I forget to bring them into the store, I will just pack the groceries back into my cart without bags and then roll the cart into the parking lot and load from the cart into bags. Its kind of a pain, and you'd think it would cause me to really remember to bring the bags in next time but I still struggle. Ive conditioned myself over the years to always have my purse, keys, cell phone etc. so Im sure I can do it for grocery bags, it will just take time.
A friend of mine has a grocery sized bag that gets squished into a bag the size of her thumb that then attaches to her key ring. Another great way to never be without a bag! Thanks for your comment. I am going to check out your blog!
I like how you say it all takes time to make new habits for things that feel uncomfortable. Sometimes I feel like I am making great progress and then other times feel I have a long ways to go still.
I'm struggling with the same thing myself!!
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